Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic Retinopathy is a disease occurs when high blood sugar levels cause damage to the capillaries that supply nutrition to the retina. The retina captures and encodes light and then relays it to the brain as information. Sustained damage to the retina causes loss of sight and can lead to eventual blindness.
Of diabetics, nearly half suffer from diabetic retinopathy at some level. The early stages of the condition carry no visual symptoms or pain, but it can progress to include: cobwebs and specks across the vision, vision loss, blurred vision, reduced night vision, and difficulty in adjusting to different levels of light.
The condition is best treated in the early stages, however, its lack of obvious symptoms can make it difficult to detect. An ophthalmologist can typically detect Retinopathy, so regular eye exams are well-advised, particularly for diabetics.
If the doctor identifies Diabetic Retinopathy, you will then discuss available treatment options which include photocoagulation, panretinal photocoagulation, and vitrectomy.
