This develops among the diabetic individuals as the result of complications. Diabetic retinopathy affects the blood vessels in the retina and can develop in individuals with both the type 1 and type 2 diabetes. This is one of the common causes of impaired vision in diabetic patients. In the initial stages, there may be no evident symptoms but can develop mild vision problems that can result in blindness if left untreated.
Causes
This develops as the result of very high blood sugar that affects the blood vessels in the retina which can leak fluid or bleed thus impairing the vision. The severe cases may develop scarring in the retina as the result of abnormal blood vessel proliferation. Four stages of diabetic retinopathy are identified;
Mild nonproliferative retinopathy develops when small areas of swelling known as microaneurysms occurs in the retina’s small blood vessels that can leak
Moderate nonproliferative retinopathy occurs when the small blood vessels may swell and distort which may become unable to transport blood
Severe nonproliferative retinopathy is the stage when several blood vessels become blocked affecting blood supply of the retina which may result in the growth of new blood vessels
Proliferative diabetic retinopathy is the advanced stage when the new blood vessels continue to grow along the inside surface of the retina which may leak and bleed. The scar tissue can create retinal detachment which can result in permanent vision loss
Symptoms
The symptoms of diabetic retinopathy are usually not evident in the early stage. As the condition progresses, some of the symptoms include blurred vision, spots or floaters, impaired color vision, dark areas in the vision and vision loss.
Diagnosis
This condition can usually be diagnosed through a comprehensive eye examination. The dilated eye examination consists of placing eye drops to dilate the pupils in order to effectively evaluate the inside of the eyes. During this process, the physician will try to determine the presence of abnormal blood vessels, swelling or deposits in the retina, growth of new blood vessels, scar tissue, retinal detachment and abnormalities of the optic nerve. Additionally, the tests can include visual acuity measurement to determine whether the central vision has been affected, measurement of the pressure within the eyes and refraction test.
Treatment
The treatment is usually based on the stage of the disease and to slow or stop the progression. The early stage of diabetic retinopathy can be monitored by controlling diabetes. The advanced form of diabetic retinopathy that affects the vision can be treated with eye injections to prevent the growth of new blood vessels, laser treatment for the growth of the new blood vessels and an eye surgery to remove the scar tissue.
References
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Diabetic-retinopathy/Pages/Treatment.aspx#injections
https://nei.nih.gov/health/diabetic/retinopathy