If you are living with diabetes, you may already know that the condition can damage many different parts of the body. Even if the condition is controlled, it still has the potential to affect your vision and eye health.
Our team of experts at the Retina Institute of Illinois is here to help you learn about, prevent, and treat diabetic eye disease so you can feel confident in your eye health and vision.
Diabetic eye disease, or diabetic retinopathy, is a diabetic eye condition where blood vessels in the retina weaken, swell, leak, or close off due to high blood sugar levels. It can also occur from abnormal blood vessel growth on the surface of the retina.
This condition can lead to impaired vision, glaucoma, cataracts, and even blindness if left untreated. There are two types of diabetic retinopathy:
Nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy is the early stage of diabetic retinopathy. This is when blood vessels within the eye leak blood or fluid, causing the retina to swell or form tiny deposits called exudates.
It is detectable through fluid, hemorrhage, or lipid in the retina. Blood vessels in the retina may also close off, preventing blood from reaching the macula and causing macular ischemia.
These changes can affect your vision, making it blurry. You may also have poor night vision and mild color blindness. However, many people with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy do not experience symptoms, so you may not even know if you have it.
As diabetic retinopathy progresses, the retina begins to grow new blood vessels in a process called neovascularization. When too many blood vessels start to close with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy, the retina tries to grow new blood vessels to restore blood flow.
However, this does not adequately regulate blood flow. These abnormal blood vessels can leak blood into the vitreous that fills your eye, and often have scar tissue that can lead to wrinkling or detachment of the retina.
Depending on the amount of blood leaking from the vessels, you may only see some dark floaters, but they can completely block your vision if there is too much blood. If your retina becomes detached, you need to see your eye doctor immediately, as you could lose vision in that eye.
The duration of diabetes is the primary risk factor for developing diabetic eye disease. Patients who have lived with diabetes for over 15 years face a 60% likelihood of showing signs of retinal damage.
However, some individuals may exhibit early signs of diabetic eye disease even at the time of their initial diabetes diagnosis.
Several factors increase the risk of developing and progressing diabetic retinopathy:
Poor glycemic control significantly accelerates retinal damage. Maintaining target hemoglobin A1C levels below 7% reduces the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.
Hypertension compounds the damage to retinal blood vessels, making blood pressure management crucial for eye health.
Diabetic women face an increased risk during pregnancy, requiring more frequent eye examinations throughout their pregnancy.
Elevated cholesterol can worsen retinal bleeding and contribute to disease progression.
Diabetic retinopathy often develops silently, with no pain or obvious symptoms in the early stages. This characteristic makes regular comprehensive eye examinations crucial for early detection and treatment.
As the condition progresses, patients may notice gradual blurring of vision, difficulty focusing, or problems with night vision. Colors may appear faded or washed out, and reading or performing detailed tasks may become increasingly challenging.
In advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy, symptoms can appear suddenly and dramatically. Patients may experience:
At the Retina Institute of Illinois, our state-of-the-art diagnostic equipment can detect retinal changes years before they affect vision, allowing for proactive treatment that preserves sight. Our ophthalmologists also perform advanced testing like fluorescein angiography and optical coherence tomography (OCT) to diagnose diabetic eye disease.
While existing retinal damage cannot be completely reversed, early detection and treatment can halt progression and preserve remaining vision. Some patients experience improved vision following treatment, particularly with advanced therapies like anti-VEGF injections, laser procedures, and vitrectomy.
Although medical intervention is crucial for treating diabetic retinopathy, prevention through optimal diabetes management remains the most effective strategy for preserving vision. The Retina Institute of Illinois emphasizes the importance of comprehensive diabetes care in conjunction with regular eye examinations.
This includes practices like eating a healthy diet, quitting smoking, regularly exercising, and maintaining good blood sugar and blood pressure levels.
Do you remember the last time you had a diabetic eye exam? If not, it's time to schedule your appointment at the Retina Institute of Illinois to prevent vision loss from diabetic eye disease and protect the health of your eyes.
