Issue 16.10
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes then most likely your primary care doctor has instructed you to undergo a yearly eye exam. Hopefully, you are following this recommendation. Why? Because diabetes can have a significant damaging impact on eyes and subsequently your vision.
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes and a leading cause of blindness. It occurs when tiny blood vessels inside the retina are damaged by diabetes. The retina acts like the film in a camera. It is the part of the eye that takes the picture and passes that information on to the brain. When the retina is damaged, vision loss occurs.
Diabetic retinopathy causes vision loss in two main ways. First, fragile blood vessels grow and leak blood into the eye blurring vision. This is called proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Second, fluid can leak from compromised blood vessels into a part of the retina called the macula. This condition is called macular edema and can dramatically reduce vision. Both of these conditions can be treated if discovered soon enough. Laser treatments to the retina are the traditional way to treat both proliferative diabetic retinopathy and macular edema. However, new treatments are being study such as injecting steroids into the eye or utilizing compounds called VEFG inhibitors which destroy the problematic abnormal blood vessels.
All people with diabetes are at risk for developing retinopathy whether or not insulin is used. In fact, 40 to 45 percent of Americans with diabetes develop diabetic retinopathy. As diabetic retinopathy begins to develop, there are often no warning signs. This is why it is so important to undergo an annual dilated eye exam if you have diabetes. Your eye physician can detect subtle changes occurring in the retina and provide education and treatment in an effort to prevent vision loss.
In addition to obtaining an annual comprehensive eye exam, there are other steps you can take to reduce your risk of vision loss from diabetes. Perhaps most important is controlling your blood sugar level. A major study conducted several years ago showed that patients who kept their blood sugar levels close to normal had significantly less eye, kidney and nerve damage. Other studies have shown that controlling blood pressure and cholesterol can also reduce one’s risk of vision loss.
Diabetic retinopathy can be a disastrous disease. Fortunately, there are ways to lower your risk of developing it and treatments to minimize its damaging effects.
Jason W. Hendrix, M.D. is a local Eye Physician and Surgeon who specializes in cataract surgery and diseases of the eye including the treatment of diabetic retinopathy. He is located at the St. George Eye Center, 676 South Bluff Street, Suite 208, Saint George, Utah. Contact him at 435-628-4507 or visit www.stgec.com.