DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

If you have diabetes then Diabetic Retinopathy can cause complications that may affect your vision.

We refer to this group of problems as Diabetic Eye Disease, or Diabetic Retinopathy, which can cause significant and permanent vision loss. In fact, it is the leading cause of blindness in people aged 20 to 64.

Diabetes damages the small blood vessels throughout the body, including in the heart, kidneys, and feet. Inside the eye, diabetes damages the retinal blood vessels; the retina being the camera-film of the eye. This damage can actually be seen during your regular eye examination.

The longer you have had diabetes or the poorer your blood sugar control has been, the more you are at risk of developing signs of damage in the eye through diabetic eye disease.

HOW DO YOU PREVENT DIABETIC RETINOPATHY?

You can take some measures to help prevent vision loss from diabetic eye disease. These include:

• good long term blood sugar control
• regular dilated eye examinations
• careful attention to cardiovascular risk factors such as blood pressure control, treatment for elevated cholesterol, weight loss, or elevated BMI
• not smoking

TREATMENT OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

There is a range of therapies available to treat diabetic eye disease. These treatment options include retinal laser, anti-VEGF injections, vitreoretinal surgery, or a combination of these.

All of the available options will be discussed with you in detail at your appointment. We can then determine the most appropriate therapy for your eyes.