October 2024 Newsletter : Diabetic Retinopathy

What You Should Know About Diabetic Retinopathy

When most people think about diabetes, they picture  blood sugar checks, insulin shots, or dietary restrictions. What’s less talked about is how the condition can quietly affect your eyes—often without obvious warning signs. One of the most common and serious complications is diabetic retinopathy, a condition that slowly damages the blood vessels in the retina, the part of the eye that helps us see. It’s not rare. In fact, millions of people living with diabetes worldwide develop this condition at some point. And while it doesn’t always cause symptoms early on, it can lead to permanent vision loss if left untreated.

Understanding the Condition

Your retina plays a central role in how you see—it takes in light and sends visual information to the brain. When blood sugar stays elevated for long periods, it starts to weaken or damage the tiny blood vessels that nourish this tissue. As the damage builds, the body sometimes tries to grow new blood vessels to compensate, but these are often fragile and can leak or scar the retina.

There are two main stages:

• In non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), blood vessels swell and leak, but new vessels haven’t grown yet.

• In proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), abnormal new vessels start to grow, which can bleed or cause scar tissue to form.

Who Is at Risk?

Anyone with diabetes can develop  this condition—whether Type 1, Type 2, or gestational diabetes. The longer you’ve had diabetes, the higher the chances. Poorly controlled blood sugar increases risk, but other factors also play a role. People with high blood pressure, elevated cholesterol, or those who smoke face higher risks. Pregnancy, for women with diabetes, can also raise the chances of progression. According to recent estimates, nearly one-third of people with diabetes show signs of some form of diabetic retinopathy.

What to Watch For

One of the difficult things about this condition is how quietly it begins. You might not notice any vision problems early on. When symptoms do appear, they can look like:

• Blurry or spotty vision

• Trouble seeing in low light

• Floaters, which are tiny dark shapes drifting across your vision

• Blank or dark areas in your field of view

• Sudden loss of vision (in severe cases)

  
  

Because the early stages often come without warning, regular eye exams are essential—even if your vision feels fine

How It’s Diagnosed

A dilated eye exam is the most reliable way to spot diabetic retinopathy. During the appointment, an eye care professional will use drops to widen your pupils and take a close look at your retina. They’ll check for swollen vessels, bleeding, or signs of fluid buildup. Depending on what they see, they might also order imaging tests like OCT or fluorescein angiography to learn more.

Available Treatments

Treatments vary depending on how advanced the condition is. For mild cases, tighter control of blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol may help slow things down. In more developed cases, the following treatments might be recommended:

• Injections: Certain medications (like anti-VEGF drugs) are injected into the eye to reduce swelling and stop abnormal vessel growth.

• Laser therapy: Lasers can be used to seal leaking blood vessels or prevent further damage.

• Vitrectomy: In severe cases, this surgery removes blood or scar tissue from inside the eye.

  
  

Protecting Your Vision

There’s no guaranteed way to prevent diabetic retinopathy entirely, but you can lower your risk by:

• Maintaining blood sugar levels at target amounts

• Managing blood pressure and cholesterol

• Not skip annual dilated eye exams

• Avoiding smoking

• Speak to your doctor if you notice any changes in vision—even small ones

Diabetic retinopathy often develops quietly; however, it can have a lasting impact. Fortunately, if you are diagnosed and treated early, damage to the eye can be prevented. Regular eye exams are more than a formality—they’re a crucial step toward safeguarding your sight. Don't wait for issues to arise, maintain annual appointments with an optometrist to prevent finding out something is wrong with clear symptoms.