Diabetic Retinopathy

The high level of sugar in the blood caused by diabetes damages the arteries, veins and very thin vessels called capillaries throughout the body. Diabetes can cause vision loss by affecting especially the nerve layer of the eye (retina or retinal layer) and the capillaries in this layer. Retinal disorders due to diabetes are called diabetic retinopathy.

The main risk factor for diabetic retinopathy is the duration of diabetes. In type 1 or insulin-dependent young diabetics, the incidence of retinopathy increases with age after puberty. Irregular blood sugar levels facilitate retinal deterioration and progression of the disease. Pregnancy, hypertension, high blood lipids (hyperlipidemia) and kidney disease are other factors that aggravate retinopathy.

In the early stage of Diabetic Retinopathy, sometimes there may be no symptoms. Even if the disease is very advanced, sometimes symptoms may not appear. If diabetes has not affected the visual center, there will be no symptoms until it reaches advanced stages and this may lead to more severe consequences. For this reason, it is very important for diabetic patients to be examined at the intervals recommended by their physicians, even if there is no complaint. Diabetes patients should consult a physician if they experience visual differences that are not related to blood sugar and last longer than a few days.

Argon laser photocoagulation can stop the progression of vascular damage in the eye in the early stages and prevent permanent vision loss. Intraocular injections may be required at many stages of retinal damage caused by diabetes. In very advanced cases, pars plana vitrectomy surgery is used to remove intraocular hemorrhages and peel the intraocular membranes.

 

If blood has accumulated at the back of the eye, a vitrectomy may be performed. In vitrectomy surgery, the blood-filled area is cleaned and replaced with an artificial solution. It is the most common surgical method in diabetic retinopathy. 

Medications have been developed to prevent bleeding in the eye and to prevent re-bleeding. These drugs are injected into the eye in small amounts with a thin needle and the treatment is performed.