People who have both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes can develop diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease and can occur when the patient has sustained high blood sugar over a long period of time. Not only can this cause health problems but it can damage the blood vessels in the eye by causing the blood vessels to expand and possibly leak. They can even cause the blood vessels to close which prevents the blood from passing through. All of these can result in vision loss in one or both eyes if left untreated.
The American Academy of Ophthalmology states that diabetic retinopathy should be treated by an ophthalmologist and they should be included in your diabetic retinopathy treatment plan. Since diabetic retinopathy is hard to detect, it is advisable for diabetics to have regularly scheduled eye exams.
High blood sugar level over a long period of time is the main cause of damaged blood vessels. The longer a person has diabetes, the greater the risk of that person developing diabetic retinopathy.
An ophthalmologist can help to reduce the swelling which can slow vision loss and sometimes even improve vision. Medication is sometimes administered which can either be with pills or with eye injections. In most cases, diabetic retinopathy treatment involves laser treatment, steroid injections, or surgery by an eye surgeon.
Prevention and management of diabetes is the best treatment. Commonly this involves eating a diet low in carbohydrates and getting regular exercise.
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the more common diseases that affect people diagnosed with diabetes. It can easily be treated and managed and, in some cases, reversed.
It is important to be vigilant about your vision. If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, be sure to talk to your doctor about a referral to an ophthalmologist for regular checkups. The earlier the problem is detected, the greater the success of treatment.
