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Each year, approximately 8,000 Americans go blind from diabetic eye disease. That makes diabetes the leading cause of new cases of blindness among people between the ages of 20 and 74.
Early detection and treatment could reduce the development of severe vision loss or blindness by half. Thus, the lesson is: if you have diabetes, you must be vigilant about getting your vision checked and your retinas evaluated by an ophthalmologist. You could have early signs of damage that can be seen by a physician even before you notice any change in your vision.
What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?
The complex mechanisms of diabetes damage the blood vessels in the retina in two ways: 1) the disease can cause blood vessels to weaken and leak blood or fluid into the eye; 2) the disease can cause new abnormal blood vessels to grow. This growth of new vessels is called proliferative diabetic retinopathy. These new vessels are not only fragile and prone to leak but they are frequently in an area where blood vessels are not supposed to be located.
What Are the Symptoms?
Patients should be on the lookout for blurry vision, distorted vision, and floaters. However, it is important to remember that diabetic retinopathy can be present even without these symptoms and that treatment is more effective when carried out in the earliest stages of disease.
How Often Should You Have Your Eyes Examined?
- If you have just been diagnosed with diabetes you should have your eyes examined promptly.
- If you have diabetes you should have your eyes examined regularly.
- If you are pregnant and have diabetes it is important to be seen by an ophthalmologist during your first trimester because pregnancy can accelerate the progression of diabetic retinopathy.
Is There Any Treatment?
The most common treatment is laser surgery to close or shrink the leaky retinal vessels and prevent further loss of vision. Laser treatment is unlikely to restore normal vision although improvement is occasionally seen. For disease in which a lot of blood has leaked out of the vessels into the vitreous, an operation called a vitrectomy may be performed. The blood-filled vitreous is removed and replaced with a clear solution.
How Can You Prevent Vision Loss?
The most effective way to avoid diabetic eye disease is to keep tight control of your blood sugar. Excellent control of high blood pressure and cholesterol is also important. People with proliferative diabetic retinopathy can reduce their risk of blindness by 95 percent with timely treatment and appropriate follow-up care.
Learn more about Diabetic Retinopathy.
Comments or Questions? Contact the Kellogg Eye Center.
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