What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is called when diabetes affects the small blood vessels in the retina, the part of the eye that acts like a film in a camera. The affected blood vessels become leaky and start secreting fluid and blood into the retina.
Diabetic retinopathy progresses with time but may not cause symptoms until it is quite advanced and close to affecting a person’s sight.
Early detection and timely treatment of diabetic eye disease significantly reduces the risk of vision loss. Since only an ophthalmologist can detect early signs of diabetic retinopathy, all diabetics should have a retinal examination at least once a year.
Who is at risk?
All people with diabetes are at some risk of getting diabetic retinopathy, whether diabetes is controlled by diet, tablets or insulin.
You are at greater risk it’s you:
- Have had diabetes for a long time
- Have poorly controlled diabetes
- Have high blood pressure
How does diabetes affect the eye?
Diabetes results in the weakening of blood vessels in the body which normally supply the oxygen to the retina and thus keep it alive. The tiny delicate retinal blood vessels are particularly susceptible and weakening of these retinal blood vessels leads to leakage or close down. If leakage occurs in Central part of retina called macula, it leads to vision loss. Closure of blood vessel leads to starvation of retina and formation of abnormal blood vessels which are fragile and pose a constant rate of bleeding at any time and leading to severe sight threatening complications.
What are the tests that need to be undertaken for diabetic retinopathy?
Ophthalmoscopy:
Provides a magnified view of the eye structures in detail, enabling diagnosis to be made for a variety of eye conditions. A special magnifying lens is used to examine the retina.
Fundus fluorescein angiography (FFA):
This test involves injection of a dye into the blood and photographing the retina with blue light. It helps to detect abnormal leaky blood vessels which need treatment.
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT):
Optical coherence tomography is a technique for obtaining cross sectional images of retina especially the important macula area, which is often swollen in diabetes.
Remember:
- Diabetes is a common cause of blindness.
- In case if you are a diabetic for more than 10 years there is a fair chance that you might have developed diabetic retinopathy.
- You might have developed the diabetic retinopathy in spite of good vision.
- Early detection and treatment save the eye.
- You should keep your blood sugar levels under control.