The United States is experiencing a diabetes epidemic. Factors contributing to this very serious national health problem include high rates of obesity, lack of exercise, and poor diets among the general population. The rapidly growing number of diabetic patients in the U.S. means the population is at risk of experiencing increased vascular complications including heart attack, stroke, kidney disease and vision problems from diabetic retinopathy.
What is diabetic retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is an abnormal condition of the retina. Over time, elevated blood sugar levels damage the small blood vessels (capillaries) in the retina, causing them to leak or shut down completely. The result is blurred or distorted vision, or even complete loss of vision.
Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of vision loss in working-aged people in the U.S. It’s a complex disease that can lead to irreversible vision loss.
Diabetes affects the retina, a fine layer of tissue lining the inside of the eye. It’s responsible for accepting light that enters the eye and turning it into images the brain understands.
The retina requires oxygen, which is carried in blood and travels through tiny pipes called retinal blood vessels. Diabetic retinopathy is like having a plumbing issue. Uncontrolled high blood sugar in people with diabetes leads to a malfunction of these pipes, causing them to become blocked and leaky.
How do you know if you have early diabetic retinopathy?
You may have distorted and blurry vision. If your pipes burst, it can lead to bleeding in the retina. Damaged pipes are also leaky. When these pipes leak, the surrounding retina absorbs this fluid like a sponge; it swells, leading to distorted and blurry vision.
Over time, large sections of the retina don’t receive adequate blood flow. The body sends out a signal, telling the blood vessels to sprout new blood vessels. While this sounds good, these new blood vessels are small, fragile, and grow in the wrong direction. They can break easily, causing blood to spill into the center part of the eye, making it very difficult to see. More like looking through a glass of milk rather than a glass of water.
As these new blood vessels grow, they become scars on the retina. Like scars on our skin, they shrink, contracting and distorting the surrounding retinal tissue. These scars can pull on the retina if severe enough, and this can lead to retinal detachment. You don’t want this to happen.
Reduce Your Risk
As a person with diabetes, you play a crucial role in managing your condition and preventing diabetic retinopathy. Tight control of blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels is critical.
Schedule regular (at least once a year) eye exams to check your vision and look for retinopathy. Keep your blood sugar levels in control and manage high cholesterol/triglycerides, and especially high blood pressure.
Treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy
There are a number of treatments that can stabilize or improve vision including intraocular steroid injections, laser treatments and surgery. Eye Surgeons Associates was the first practice in Iowa to utilize the PASCAL® laser. This technologically advanced laser can deliver up to 25 laser spots at a time resulting in shorter, more comfortable treatments.
Laser treatments and injections have been successful for ESA patient Sr. Judy of Davenport. “I did the laser first and I’ve also had injections. The thought of an injection in your eye is much worse than the actual procedure. I just distracted myself during the injection and my eye was numb and I didn’t really feel much. The first time was scary. I now have injections every three months. It’s fairly easy. I wear an eye patch a few hours after and resume my normal activities later that day.”
If you experience any changes in vision, especially if you’re diabetic, see your eye doctor immediately.
Clayton Kirk, M.D.
BIO: Dr. Clayton Kirk completed a retina fellowship and is certified by the American Board of Ophthalmology. He practices at Eye Surgeons Associates’ Bettendorf and Rock Island offices. See our Diabetic Eye Care page for more information.
The material contained in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health care provider.