What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease caused by diabetes. It happens when high blood sugar damages the tiny blood vessels in the retina, the part of the eye that helps you see clearly.
As the condition progresses, blood vessels may leak fluid or grow abnormally. Without treatment, diabetic retinopathy can lead to serious vision problems and even blindness. The condition is caused by damage to the blood vessels in the retina from high blood sugar levels over time.
Risk factors include:
- Living with diabetes for many years
- Poor blood sugar control
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol
- Smoking
- Pregnancy in people with diabetes
Symptoms
Diabetic retinopathy often develops slowly, and many people do not notice symptoms at first. That is why regular eye exams are so important for people living with diabetes.
Symptoms may include:
- Blurry or changing vision
- Dark spots or floaters
- Trouble seeing at night
- Flashes of light
- Dark or empty areas in your vision
- Vision loss in later stages
How Is It Diagnosed?
An eye care provider can check for diabetic retinopathy during a complete eye exam. A dilated eye exam allows the provider to look closely at the retina and identify signs of damage.
Additional tests may include retinal imaging, optical coherence tomography (OCT), fluorescein angiography, and vision testing. These tools help determine how advanced the condition is and guide treatment planning.
How Is It Treated?
Treatment depends on how severe the condition is and whether vision has been affected. In the early stages, managing diabetes carefully may help slow progression.
Treatment options may include:
- Keeping blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol under control
- Routine eye exams to monitor changes
- Medications injected into the eye to reduce swelling or abnormal blood vessel growth
- Laser therapy to treat leaking blood vessels
- Vitrectomy surgery for advanced bleeding or retinal damage
Early treatment can help protect vision and reduce the risk of permanent eye damage. Many people need ongoing monitoring to help keep the condition under control.
