Diabetic Eye Disease Care and Prevention
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that affects the blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Over time, high levels of blood sugar in individuals with diabetes can damage the small blood vessels in the retina.
Diabetic retinal disease can be divided into 3 main types:
- Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR): In this early stage, the blood vessels in the retina may start to leak fluid or blood, leading to swelling and the formation of small deposits called exudates. This stage might not cause noticeable vision problems, but regular eye exams are crucial to monitor any changes.
- Diabetic Macular Edema (DME): affects the central part of the retina (called the macula) responsible for sharp vision. In DME, high blood sugar levels damage the blood vessels, leading to fluid buildup and swelling which can cause blurry or distorted vision and, if left untreated, can progress to severe vision loss or even blindness.
- Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR): In this advanced stage, the damaged blood vessels can cause the retina to grow new abnormal blood vessels, a process called neovascularization. These new vessels are fragile and can bleed into the vitreous, the jelly-like substance inside the eye, leading to sudden vision loss or the appearance of floaters. The growth of these abnormal blood vessels can also cause scar tissue formation, leading to retinal detachment and further vision loss.
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Treatment Options
- Early Stages: careful monitoring of blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and regular eye examinations are essential. Maintaining good control of diabetes through diet, exercise, and medication can slow the progression of the condition.
- Advanced Stages: Treatment options become more aggressive as the disease progresses:
- Laser Photocoagulation: Panretinal photocoagulation (PRP) or Focal Macular Laser (FML).
- Injections: Anti-VEGF medications such as Vabysmo, Eylea, Lucentis, and Avastin (vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors) can be injected into the eye to block the growth of abnormal blood vessels and reduce swelling. These injections can slow down or even reverse the progression of the disease.
- Vitrectomy: If severe a surgery where vitreous gel is removed, and any scar tissue is also removed.
Comprehensive Diabetic Eye Care
Receive outstanding diabetic eye care from the award winning ophthalmologists, all within a welcoming and personalized setting.
We offer advanced techniques and state of the art equipment to diagnose even early signs of diabetic eye disease including: OCT, fluorescein angiography, and fundus ophthalmoscopy.
Intravitreal injections, such as Vabysmo, Eylea, Avastin, and Lucentis, are used to treat diabetic retinopathy. They involve injecting medications directly into the eye to address issues like abnormal blood vessel growth and swelling in the retina. There are also laser treatments which can reduce retina swelling and bleeding.
Laser treatment for diabetic retinopathy involves using a focused beam of light to target specific areas of the retina. It is commonly used to treat two main types of diabetic retinopathy issues: macular edema (swelling of the central part of the retina) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (growth of abnormal blood vessels). The laser’s thermal energy can seal leaky blood vessels, reduce abnormal vessel growth, and help prevent further damage to the retina.
Laser treatment can be of two main types:
- Focal Laser Treatment: This targets specific leaking blood vessels in the macula (central part of the retina). It helps reduce the swelling and prevents further leakage, which can improve vision in cases of macular edema.
- Panretinal Photocoagulation (PRP): PRP is used to treat proliferative diabetic retinopathy. It involves applying laser spots to the peripheral areas of the retina. This helps to reduce abnormal blood vessel growth and shrink existing abnormal vessels, preventing complications like retinal detachment.
Laser treatment is typically performed as an outpatient procedure and doesn’t require an overnight stay. While it can effectively manage diabetic retinopathy and prevent vision loss, it’s important to note that it might not fully restore vision that has already been lost. Regular follow-up appointments with an eye specialist are essential to monitor the condition and determine if further treatments are needed.
Taking care of your health is the best way to avoid diabetes-related eye problems. Managing your blood sugar and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol can help prevent damage to blood vessels. Your eye doctor may have additional recommendations to stop disease progression and protect your vision.
Perhaps the most important factor in diabetic eye care is prevention and regular care. With early detection of disease, your Eye Doctor can formulate a plan to prevent scar tissue, retinal detachments, bleeding and vision loss.
Diabetic Retinopathy Treatments.
Our Eye MDs (ophthalmologist) focus on long-term eye health and work to improve or maintain your vision. Many problems do not appear until the later stages of life and require thorough care to resolve or manage them. We conduct comprehensive eye exams to monitor and detect the early signs of eye diseases.
Eye MDs of Inland addresses adult optometric and ophthalmologic concerns, including the following:
Expert Care for Every Eye Condition
Select the accomplished specialists at Eye MDs of Inland to fulfill your every eye care requirement. Our team members have received accolades and recognition for their exceptional skills. They have undergone training at the renowned Jules Stein Eye Institute at UCLA and currently serve as instructors at the esteemed Keck School of Medicine at USC. Your eyes will receive top-tier care from our highly qualified professionals.
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