DIABETIC EYE DISEASE - WatsonsHEalth

DIABETIC EYE DISEASE

Overview & Facts

A group of eye defects that affects people with diabetes is called diabetic eye disease. They can harm parts of the eye like retina, macula, lens, and the optic nerve. They may lead to severe vision loss and blindness.

Diabetic eye diseases includes:

Diabetic retinopathy – is the leading eye disease in American adults caused by injury to the small blood vessels of the retina. In other situations, retinal blood vessels swell and this causes fluid to leak.

Diabetic macular edema (DME) – caused by dripping blood vessels that lead to liquid accumulation in the macula. It causes blurry central vision.

Cataract – it forms a cloud in the lens that changes the passage of the light towards the eye. It can also cause blurred vision. It has the tendency to develop at an earlier age in diabetic patients.

Glaucoma – caused by growth in liquid pressure inside the eye which leads to optic nerve damage and potential loss of side vision. Risk of glaucoma is doubled in adults who have diabetes.

Types & Symptoms

There are no premature stages in the disease. There is no pain either. Vision may not show any changes until the condition becomes severe.

Swelling that is caused by the leaking fluid on the macula results to a blurry vision. This disease is macular edema. New vessels that have grown on the surface of the retina can bleed into the eye and this result to blocking your vision. But the illness may develop a long way without symptoms even in more advanced cases. That is why it is important for people with diabetes to have regular eye examinations.

Diagnosis & Medications

Your eye care specialist may recommend laser surgery. A laser surgery is performed by passing a strong light beam is directed onto the retina to contract the abnormal vessels. Laser surgery can reduce the risk of severe vision loss from this type of diabetic retinopathy by 60 percent.

Laser surgery may also be used if you have macular edema. To treat this condition, the leaking blood vessels will be sealed using the laser beam.

Laser surgery, however, often cannot bring back the vision that has already been lost. That is why the best way to prevent vision loss is finding diabetic retinopathy early.

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