People with diabetes are unfortunately at a higher risk for numerous ocular complications, which can lead to severe vision loss and sometimes even blindness. One of those eye diseases is diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness among Americans.

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease that damages the blood vessels in the retina. While what exactly causes this damage is not known, poorly controlled blood sugar levels are believed to be a contributing factor. Although diabetic retinopathy can affect persons with Type I or Type II diabetes, persons with Type I diabetes are at a greater risk of developing the disease. Over time, the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy increases.

Types of Diabetic Retinopathy

There are two main categories of diabetic retinopathy:

Non-proliferative: The small blood vessels in the retina become damaged and can leak fluid into the retinal tissue. This is called macular edema, which is swelling of the retina in the area that serves central vision. Symptoms of macula edema include blurry vision and loss of portions of the field of vision.

Proliferative: Newly formed abnormal blood vessels develop along the surface of the retina and are very fragile. Their fragility can cause them to bleed, which can cause severe vision loss and even blindness.

As these vessels proliferate, bleed and subsequently scar, they can detach the retina. These forms of retinal detachment pose unique challenges for the retinal surgeon.

Another complication is the obstruction of the outflow path for fluid that is constantly being produced in the eye by newly formed blood vessels. This can lead to dangerously high pressures in the eye and is called neovascular glaucoma.

Read more: https://www.vrmny.com/conditions/diabetic-retinopathy/