People with diabetic retinopathy experience symptoms that can lead to a permanent loss of vision if untreated. The disease is a leading cause of vision loss in people with diabetes. During the early stages of the disease, the symptoms may not be obvious or show at all. However, by getting a comprehensive eye exam every year, your eye doctor can detect it early and promptly start treatment.

 

What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that occurs in people with diabetes, where the blood vessels of their retina become weak. The disease develops progressively and can reach a sight-threatening stage after a few years of failing an early diagnosis.

Risk Factors of Retinopathy

People with diabetes have a higher risk of getting diabetic retinopathy. The risk becomes higher if the patient:

 

• Smokes regularly
   

• Has high cholesterol
   

• Is pregnant
   

• Has high blood pressure
   

• Has had diabetes for a long time
   

• Has persistently high blood glucose level
  
   

Diagnosis

Your ophthalmologist will use eye drops to widen your pupil and see the structures inside your eye. They can take a closer look at your retina by doing an optical coherence tomography (OCT). The machine presents details of the thickness of the retina by scanning. It enables your doctor to find your macula and measure its swelling.

 

OCT angiography or fluorescein angiography helps doctors see and evaluate the blood vessels in your retina. Your doctor will administer it by injecting a yellow dye into your vein, mostly in your arm.

 

They will use a special camera to photograph your retina as the injected dye moves through the blood vessels to check for blockage or leaking. The test also shows abnormal blood vessels growing in the retina. OCT angiography does not need a dye to visualize. It scans the eye the same way ultrasound tests work using light instead of sound.

 

Signs and Symptoms

It is essential to know that you can have diabetic retinopathy stages without having awareness or symptoms of the disease. You may begin to see changes when the condition is at its late stages, and vision changes become irreversible. 

People with diabetes should get annual comprehensive eye exams. A specialized diabetic retinopathy ophthalmologist should conduct the exam. The assessment suits every patient, even those who show no symptoms. Doing so will help detect the disease before you start having noticeable symptoms.

People who have diabetes and have not gone for regular eye exams since their diagnosis should watch out for these symptoms:

• Blurred vision
   

• Eye floaters
   

• Color vision impairment
   

• Poor night vision
   

• Empty or dark sport in the central vision
   

• Streaks or patches in the vision
   

• A sudden or complete loss of vision
  
   

If you experience any of the symptoms of diabetic retinopathy, talk to your ophthalmologist for a comprehensive eye exam.

 

When to See a Doctor 

People with diabetes need to see an ophthalmologist who specializes in diabetic retinopathy. Individuals who have had a diagnosis should see their doctor frequently for treatment and monitoring.


 

For more about diabetic retinopathy, contact Clarity Vision in Williamston, North Carolina, at (252) 792-2250 to book an appointment today.