Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a disease of the retina that is caused by diabetes. There are two types of diabetic retinopathy; background diabetic retinopathy (BDR) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). In BDR, the retinal blood vessels develop tiny leaks in them. These leaks cause fluid or blood to seep in the retina. the retina then becomes wet and swollen (edema) and cannot work properly. In PDR, the retinal blood vessels close. The retinal tissue, which depends on those vessels for nutrition, will no longer work properly. The affected areas of the retina will start to have new blood vessels grow. This can be very bad for the eye because it can cause bleeding and scar tissue that can result in a total loss of vision.

The single most important thing a patient with diabetes can do to prevent the complications of diabetes and diabetic retinopathy is to control their blood sugar. This can be accomplished with diet, medications, and exercise. Another important factor of diabetes is high blood pressure. This too, should be kept under strict control. Smoking is also thought to be bad for diabetics because it seems to promote the closure of blood vessels and other detrimental changes in the blood vessels.

If indicated, laser treatment can be used to treat diabetic retinopathy. For BDR, a laser is used to stop retinal blood vessels from leaking into the retina. The laser treatment is done when the swelling has reached a critical stage, so that vision does not deteriorate further. For PDR (Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy), laser treatment is done to destroy all of the dead areas of the retina where the blood vessels have been closed. When these areas have been treated with the laser, the retina stops manufacturing new blood vessels, and those that are already present tend to diminish or disappear. Patients with diabetes should have yearly eye exams to detect early changes of the retina that might indicate diabetic retinopathy.