Diabetes and retina

Diabetes is the most common blood vessel disease.

Diabetes weakens the blood vessels in your body causing bleeding and fluid leakage and damage to the tissues. This can adversely affect the heart and the kidneys besides the eyes.

In the eye, we can directly see the blood vessels in your retina and detect early signs of damage like small hemorrhages and exudates. This is a condition called DIABETIC RETINOPATHY.

At the early stage, this can be treated with laser therapy and sight can be preserved. If it is not treated in the early stages, it worsens to a condition called proliferative diabetic retinopathy which is very difficult to treat and can cause severe loss of vision and even blindness.

Leakage from blood vessels at the macula can cause macular edema( swelling). This causes a decrease in vision and needs an injection.

The patient does not have complaints in the early stage.

Regular eye check-ups are the only way to detect this condition at an early stage.

No Diabetic retinopathy – yearly check-up

Early Diabetic retinopathy – 6 monthly

Rest –as per ophthalmologist recommendation – usually after every 4 –6 months

What can you do to protect your vision?

• Good control of blood sugar
• Reach and maintain a healthy weight
• Add exercise to your daily routine
• Kick the smoking habit
• Regular Eye Check-up

Prevention is better than Cure

Dr. Jagruti Desai ( M.S. Ophthalmology )

Oculus eye hospital
Tel. 9820094152, 9819983158