Diabetes & Eye Care : We cannot prevent diabetes in spite of lifestyle changes & healthier living but we can certainly prevent vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy. High levels of blood sugar can lead to early Cataract development and or can lead to a condition known as Diabetic Retinopathy.
Diabetic Retinopathy : Nine out of ten people with diabetes will over a period of time eventually develop a complication that affects the eyes known as diabetic retinopathy. This condition affects the retinal blood vessels and can lead to blindness, however, if diagnosed and treated early much of this vision loss can be prevented.
How does diabetes damage the retina?
The retina is like the film in a camera. It is the seeing tissue of the eye. When the focused light hits the retina, a picture is created and sent to the brain through the optic nerve (the nerve of the eye), thus giving us vision.
Retina has two parts: The peripheral retina and central Macula. Macula being the central part is capable of producing a sharp and clear image. These clear images enable us to read, write and do all fine work. Diabetes damages the tiny blood vessels The walls of the blood vessels become fragile and then start to break, leaking blood around them in the retina. At this point, most people do not notice any changes in their vision.
Sometimes blood vessels leak fluid and lipids onto the macula, (The central part of the retina that lets us see in detail). people develop a condition called macular edema thus blurring the vision. Later the blood vessels may stop carrying blood permanently, and the cells in the retina will die from lack of nourishment. This kind of loss of sight is gradual but at the present time, it is permanent
Conditions like Diabetes, Age-related Macular degeneration, and Macular holes can damage Macula.
Digital Fluorescein Angiography : In this test, a special dye is injected & pictures are then taken as the dye passes through the blood vessels in the retina. This test is done to find out the stage of diabetic retinopathy (to find the leaking blood vessels) and decide a further line of treatment. Bathia Hospital and Eye Clinic has the latest Zeiss Visucam Digital Angiography Machine for the same
Importance of Early Treatment :
- Early diagnosis is vital
- Have an eye examination every year
- Do not wait until your vision has deteriorated to have an eye test
How is Diabetic Retinopathy treated?
The treatment for diabetic retinopathy include
- Laser treatment
- Special Injections like Inj. Avastin
- Surgery (Vitrectomy).
These are very effective in reducing vision loss from the disease. In fact, even people with advanced retinopathy have a 90% chance of keeping their vision when they get treatment before the retina is severely damaged.
Laser Treatment : This is one of the most important and is one of the most widely used techniques. In the early or non-proliferative stages the laser is used to seal leaking areas from the blood vessels. this is called Focal Laser Therapy.
What can we do to prevent the vision of a patient with diabetic retinopathy ?
- It has been proved that better control of blood sugar levels slows the onset and progression of retinopathy and lessens the need for laser treatment or surgery.
- Co-existing high blood pressure can speed up diabetic changes in the eye, so blood pressure also should be kept under control
- Stop smoking: smoking causes narrowing of the blood vessels, which can aggravate the diabetic changes in the eye.
Have regular eye checkups: All patients with diabetes should have a thorough eye examination through dilated pupils at least once a year. If the patient has severed retinopathy, he/she may need to have an eye examination more often.
