DIABETIC RETINOPATHY
Diabetic Retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that affects eyes. It is the most common diabetic eye diseases that can cause vision loss and even blindness eventually. It's caused by damage to the blood vessels at retina. Diabetic Retinopathy usually affect both eyes. In the early stages of the non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, the patient may not notice any symptoms. Good new is, with timely treatment and appropriate follow-up care, the risk of blindness can reduced by 95%.
Symptoms
In the early stages, diabetic retinopathy may cause no symptoms. With the progression over time, symptoms may include:
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Blurred/distorted vision
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Eye floaters and spots in your vision
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Empty or dark areas/shadow in your vision
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Impaired central vision
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Eye pain
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Double vision
Causes and Types
Diabetic retinopathy is caused by prolonged high blood glucose levels. Over time, high sugar (glucose) levels in blood can result in the tiny blood vessels that nourish the retina been damaged or blocked. The eye will then grow new blood vessels that don't develop properly and can leak easily.
There are two types of Diabetic Retinopathy:
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1. Nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR)
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early damage of normal retina blood vessels causing minor bleeding and tiny blockage only
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new blood vessels are not growing
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vision become blur when fluid and fat leakage from abnormal blood vessels causing the swelling of nerve layer (macular edema)
2. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy
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due to damage of blood vessels and subsequently lack of oxygen, the retina will stimulate the growth of new blood vessels
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the fragile, abnormal new blood vessels in the retina can cause sudden bleeding that obstruct vision.
Diabetic Retinopathy Treatments
1. Micropulse laser treatment, also known as focal/grid laser treatment,
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slow down the leaking of blood vessels
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Focal laser treatment is to maintain the vision and prevent its deterioration at early stage of retinopathy which is often no symptoms
Timely laser treatment can reduce the risk of vision impairment.
- Therefore it is important for diabetic patients to have comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year
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2. Subthreshold panretinal photocoagulation, also known as scatter laser treatment
- the scattered laser burns can shrink the abnormal new blood vessels at the area of retina away from macula
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3. Intravitreal anti-VEGF
- these anti-VEGF therapies have been shown to significantly reduce diabetic maculopathy progression as well as increase the likelihood of diabetic maculopathy regression
