Retinopathy (Diabetic Eye Disease)
Diabetes can affect the capillary blood vessels in the eye just
as it affects the large blood vessels to the legs, heart and brain.
High blood sugar and high blood pressure will damage the vessels in
the aye.
How can diabetes affect the eye?
Retinopathy is the name for disease of the retina of the eye.
The retina is the thin layer of special nerves in the back of the
eye. The retina detects light and sends signals to the brain.
Diabetes can damage the capillaries in the retina. It can
cause weak spots that will balloon out or even burst. Blood
then can leak into the retina and form a scar. This is called
nonproliferative retinopathy. This
retinopathy does not usually affect vision.
Proliferative retinopathy is another type of
damage where new capillaries grow over the retina and into the
vitreous (the clear jelly inside the eyeball).
These new fragile vessels grow around the scars. They try
to get fresh blood to the area but end up causing even more damage.
You might not notice the early damage.
The new vessels will break and leak blood into the vitreous. You
might have increasing vision problems as this happens. You may
say it is like looking through blood or a spider web, or you might
see black spots. Proliferative retinopathy is serious and will
often lead to blindness.
Sometimes the scars will pull the retina off the back of the eye.
This is called retinal detachment and is also very
serious. If this happens you may loose sight in one or both
eves very fast, or it may seem like a curtain has been pulled over
your eye. If this happens you need to call your doctor and see
an ophthalmologist right away.
How is retinopathy treated?
If retinopathy is found early then blindness can be prevented.
One treatment is with lasers that seal the weal leaking blood
vessels.
How can I know if I have retinopathy?
Early retinopathy is only detected when you have a complete
dilated eye exam by an ophthalmologist.
Are there other diabetes eye problems?
If your blood sugar is higher than usual, you might notice blurry
vision. This should get better when your blood sugar comes
back down.
People with diabetes will have more problems with cataracts and
glaucoma.
Can these eye problems be prevented?
The good news is that if you keep your blood sugar near normal
your risk of eye damage is not as high.