Diabetic retinopathy is a complication that takes place within the eyes due to diabetes. When diabetes starts damaging the blood vessels in the eyes, the condition is known as diabetic retinopathy.

Although diabetic retinopathy may show no symptoms or only mild vision problems, it can cause poor vision and even blindness in some cases.

This condition can develop for individuals with both, type-1 as well as type-2 diabetes. The chances of you contracting this problem depend on two major factors. One, the duration of your diabetes, and two, control over your sugar levels.

In this blog, we will throw light on diabetic retinopathy, symptoms, treatment available, diabetic retinopathy treatment, and other important points related to this condition.

Samarth Eye Clinic is regarded as one of the best eye clinics for diabetic retinopathy treatment in Mumbai. Our team of highly qualified eye doctors in Santacruz shed some light on diabetic retinopathy in this article.

Let’s start by looking at the symptoms.

Diabetic Retinopathy Symptoms

As mentioned above, typically, there are no symptoms of diabetic retinopathy till the time it starts affecting your vision. When it starts interfering with your vision, it means that the disease is severe.

The best way to ensure you are not affected by diabetic retinopathy is to schedule a regular eye check-up. As one of the most established eye hospitals in Santacruz, we urge you to schedule an eye check-up with us.

Our team will guide you through the process and even share some useful tips to ensure optimum eye health.

Some of the symptoms of diabetic retinopathy may include:

• Partial or complete loss of vision
• Distorted, double, and blurred vision
• Constant pressure, pain, and redness of the eye

Causes Of Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetes can damage the small blood vessels present in the eye. If you fail to keep a check on the sugar levels in your blood, it can damage your blood vessels.

Diabetic retinopathy occurs when high sugar levels in the blood damage the blood vessels around the retina.

How Is Diabetic Retinopathy Diagnosed?

Diabetic retinopathy can be detected during a dilated eye exam. This exam is conducted by an optometrist or an ophthalmologist.

It is critical to understand that an exam conducted by your regular eye doctor wherein your eyes are not dilated cannot diagnose this condition.

Some of the eye exams for individuals with diabetes include:

• Tonometry
• Visual acuity testing
• Ophthalmoscopy and slit lamp exam

Get in touch with our team to know more about each of these exams.

Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment

You may need to get treated for diabetic retinopathy when:

• It affects the center of your retina
• Unusual blood vessels appear
• Your peripheral vision has been damaged severely

We won’t lie, there is no cure for diabetic retinopathy yet. However, there are treatments that have shown great efficacy in preventing, delaying, and minimizing loss of vision.

The sooner the problem is detected, the easier it is to treat. Of course, you should also control your blood sugar levels. In fact, controlling the sugar levels in your blood is of utmost importance.

Some of the important treatments that can ensure that your condition is not worsening include:

1.        Laser treatment

Laser treatment is predominantly effective to prevent loss of vision and is usually carried out before the retina is damaged. It also helps to manage macular edema.

2.        Surgery to remove the vitreous gel

This surgery is performed to enhance vision when the retina has not been damaged. It is usually carried out when there is bleeding or retinal detachment.

3.        Anti-VEGF medicine

Anti-VEGF medicines play an important role in restricting the growth of unusual blood vessels in the retina. This growth is primarily caused by a protein known as vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Anti-VEGF medicines play a critical role in blocking the effects of VEGF.

 

Now that you have learned more about diabetic retinopathy, we urge you to get in touch with us in case you experience any discomfort or problems related to your eye especially if you are diabetic.

Amidst the ongoing pandemic, our staff at Samarth Eye Care is complying with all the required safety protocols to ensure patients can be treated without any problems.