Diabetic retinopathy Brief:
Diabetic retinopathy is a condition in which blood sugar levels are too high for the body to process correctly. It can lead to reduced or blurred vision, and can potentially cause blindness if untreated. Managing your blood sugars is very important to prevent diabetic retinopathy from getting worse.
Diabetic retinopathy causes damage to the retina and affects other parts of the eye as well as tissues near it. Sometimes these problems can cause pain or pressure in the eyes or visual impairment, like vision loss. Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that causes damage to the retina. It can cause severe vision loss, blindness or even partial or complete blindness, if left untreated.Â
There are many reasons for having an eye exam. One of the most important reasons is that it could identify serious health problems such as diabetic retinopathy before they become too advanced and lead to permanent vision loss or complete blindness. Diabetes causes damage to the blood vessels in your eyes which results in poor blood flow, leading to a build-up of fluid on your retina (retinal edema).Â
The longer you have diabetes, the greater your risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. If you are living with diabetes, it is important to have periodic exams to detect this condition as early as possible so you can take the necessary steps to protect and preserve your sightÂ
Diabetic retinopathy is a progressive disease that occurs when blood vessels on the retina are damaged due to persistent hyperglycemia. When blood vessels leak or hemorrhage, it causes scarring of the retina and vision loss. Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of vision loss and blindness among adults in the working age population. In 2010, about 1.5 million people aged 20 years or older in the United States had diabetic retinopathy (DR). More than two thirds of them were women. Your risk increases as your blood sugar level increases.Â
As the disease progresses, the blood vessels on the retina may become blocked or damaged, leading to leakage of fluid (retinal edema), which is a primary cause of visual loss in people with diabetes. Retinal edema advances when it prevents aqueous fluid from leaving the eye and damaging new blood vessels, causing further damage to the remaining retinal capillaries, resulting in further vision loss and loss of central vision This central sight area includes what we see in front of us and what we call our "field of vision".Â
Vision loss can also result from the formation of scar tissue. The retina, a thin layer of tissue in the back of your eye, contains millions of light-sensing cells that convert images into electrical signals that are sent to the brain. These signals allow you to see.Â
Diabetic retinopathy is caused by long-term high blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia), which damage tiny blood vessels in your eyes and cause them to leak or hemorrhage over time displacing fluid within the eye, which compresses sensitive living parts and interferes with vision. Depending on how severe this condition is can impact your lifestyle and routine activities such as driving, reading or just being active at home or outside.