What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

High blood sugar levels associated with diabetes can damage the blood vessels and nerves in your eyes. The eye problems caused by this damage are known as diabetic eye disease. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common form of diabetic eye disease.

It is caused by damage to the tiny blood vessels in the retina (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye). When the blood vessels of the retina weaken, they leak fluid. If the retinopathy worsens, your eye begins to form new blood vessels on the surface of the retina. These new blood vessels can bleed, cloud vision, and destroy the retina.

These changes can lead to vision loss or blindness. Diabetic retinopathy is actually a leading cause of blindness in American adults.

Who needs to be concerned about diabetic retinopathy?

People with insulin-dependent (type I) and non-insulin-dependent (type II) diabetes are at risk for developing diabetic retinopathy. Nearly half of the 14 million people who have diabetes will develop some degree of the disease during their lifetimes.

Pregnancy can cause women with diabetes mellitus to start developing diabetic retinopathy or make the existing condition worse.

What can I do to prevent vision loss from diabetic retinopathy?

If diabetic retinopathy is detected early, before major damage is done, laser treatment may be able to save your vision.

Regular eye exams are very important for people with diabetes because there are often no early warning signs for diabetic retinopathy. There is no pain, and vision may not change until the disease becomes severe. In other words, unless you have your eyes examined on a regular basis, you will not know if you have the disease until it's too late!

To screen for diabetic retinopathy, the doctor will use special eyedrops to dilate (enlarge) your pupils. This allows him/her to see more of the retina and look for signs of the disease.

• People with type I diabetes: Start having dilated retinal exams five years after you're diagnosed with diabetes, and then every year after that.

• People with type II diabetes: Have a dilated retinal exam every year.

• Pregnant women with diabetes: Have a dilated retinal exam during your first trimester of pregnancy.

In addition, be sure to control your blood sugar levels. This can slow the onset and progression of diabetic retinopathy.