Diabetic Retinopathy - Cause, Symptoms, and the Treatments Diabetic Retinopathy - Cause Diabetes destroys tiny blood vessels all over the body, which leads to the reduction of blood flow. When these transformations affect the small blood vessels inside the eyes, diabetic retinopathy develops. In early phase of the disease, the small blood vessels within the eye grow weaker and small bulges develop that may rapture and will seep out in the retina. Later on, new delicate blood vessels will grow on the outside of retina. These tiny blood vessels can burst and bleed in the eye which will cause the clouding vision and the forming of scar tissue. Retinal detachment occurs when scar tissues pull in the retina. This happens when two layers in the retina will separate from one another and also from the walls of the eyes. This may lead to loss of vision.
Diabetic Retinopathy - Symptoms Normally, diabetic retinopathy has no noticeable signs until major damage had happened and complications had developed. Some signs of retinopathy and complications can include: - Distorted or blurred vision or complexity reading - Floaters in the vision - Pain in the eyes - Partial or complete loss of sight or veil or a shade across the field of sight Treatment for diabetic retinopathy Treatment on diabetic retinopathy is frequently very successful in delaying, preventing or reducing loss of vision but it does not treat the disease. Laser treatment (photocoagulation) is generally very effective on preventing loss of vision if the treatment is done prior to the severe damage of the retina. Vitrectomy, the removal of vitreous gel through surgery can also help in improving the vision if there is no severe damage of the retina. Regular screening is needed for the early detection of retinopathy because signs may not appear until the disease will become severe. Surgical taking away of vitreous gel (vitrectomy) is performed if there is bleeding or retinal detachment, which are not common in people that have early-stage retinopathy. The surgery is also performed if there is severe scar tissue formation.
Treatment for retinopathy may not be needed unless the center of the retina has been affected. When the macula is damaged with macular edema, laser treatment is needed. For more severe cases of retinopathy, either vitrectomy or laser treatment is needed. These procedures may help to stabilize, prevent or slow sight loss if they are performed before severe damage occur to the retina. If possible, laser treatment must be done earlier during the progress of the disorder to prevent severe loss of vision rather than trying to treat grave loss of sight after it had developed already. People who were treated for retinopathy must be monitored regularly by an eye specialist to ensure for some changes in the eyes. Controlling blood sugar scale is important. This is proper even if the patient was treated for retinopathy and the eyes got better. Normal blood sugar is important in this situation in order to keep the disease from getting worst. Ideally, laser treatment should be done early in the course of the disease to prevent serious vision loss rather than to try to treat serious vision loss after it has already developed.
Without laser treatment or surgery, loss of sight which is caused by retinopathy and some complications will get worse up to the time blindness occurs. Therefore, early treatment must be done slow down loss of vision which may happen rapidly. Unfortunately, some people are diagnosed in the later stage of the disease, so it is frequently too late to do laser treatment or vitrectomy to give more benefits. Vision will be continuing to decline even if treatment is done. Early detection of the disease by means of yearly eye examinations will help the patient in his/her decision to have surgical operation wherein it is useful and effective. Vitreous surgery is effective in the prevention of vision loss if someone has vitreous hemorrhage or retinal detachment. This surgical procedure is not done usually unless complications or serious scar tissue has developed already. Diabetic patients who have some signs of retinopathy must be examined immediately by an ophthalmologist.