Diabetic Retinopathy
After diabetes has been present for some years, changes may occur at the back of the
eye in the retina. Your optometrist uses an instrument called an ophthalmoscope
to check for these changes.
These changes are known as diabetic retinopathy. There are two main types of this condition:
background (sometimes called minimal) retinopathy and proliferative retinopathy.
The risk of developing retinopathy increases with the length of time you have had
diabetes. The risk is also increased by poor control of blood sugar levels.
Background Retinopathy
This condition rarely causes any vision to be lost and therefore does not require treatment.
Occasionally a swelling of the retina may cause hazy vision or straight lines
to appear bent. Your optometrist may instruct you in a simple procedure to carry
out at home so that you can test your eyes for this condition. If vision is affected
in this way your optometrist can confirm its cause and will refer you for appropriate
treatment.
Proliferative Retinopathy
This condition is more serious and requires early treatment to prevent serious vision
loss. Your optometrist can recognise signs that this condition might develop,
or detect it in its early stages. Once proliferative retinopathy has been diagnosed,
your optometrist will refer you to an eye surgeon for further appraisal and probable
laser treatment. Treatment of this condition has a better chance of success if
it is applied very early.
Managing Diabetic Retinopathy
There is little known about prevention of any of these complications, so the best management
is to have regular eye examinations so that changes can be detected and treated
early.
It is advisable for all people with diabetes to have yearly eye examinations. People
who have been diagnosed as having retinopathy should have eye examinations more
frequently than once a year.
Diabetes and other vision conditions:
Double vision
This is a distressing but rare complication of diabetes. The condition is usually temporary
but it may last for a few months. An optometrist can help treat it while it has
effect. Diabetes is not the only cause of double vision.
Glaucoma
The eye disease Glaucoma is slightly more common in diabetic people than in the general
community. Glaucoma is a condition in which the nerve cells which transmit information
from the eye to the brain become damaged, often caused by pressure due to a build-up
of fluid in the eye. If untreated, Glaucoma can cause blindness.
Cataract
Cataracts are more likely to occur in diabetic people at an earlier age than in non-diabetic
people. A cataract is a cloudiness that can form in the lens inside the eye. If
present, Glaucoma and cataract will be readily detected at your regular eye examination
when your optometrist will advise the best management strategy for the condition. |
