Diabetic Retinopathy Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Definition
Diabetic retinopathy is a disorder of the retina of the eye that can be found in diabetics. This condition is characterized by bleeding retinal blood vessels and disturbances to the center of vision in the eye (macula) which causes decreased visual acuity.
The retina is a layer of nerves that line the back of the eye, which is responsible for recording images and sending them to the brain. High and uncontrolled blood sugar levels in diabetics can damage blood vessels, including those in the retina.
Diabetic Retinopathy Symptoms
Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disorder that progresses very slowly. In the early stages, usually, the sufferer does not have any complaints. The more severe the retinal disorder, the more slowly visual disturbances begin to appear. Visual acuity also decreased, without complaints of red eyes.
From an external examination, the eye looks fine, but vision is getting blurry. In the proliferative diabetic retinopathy stage, in addition to increasingly blurred vision, sufferers generally also complain of floaters.
Floaters are a sensation in which the eye sees shadows of objects floating around. The shadow of this object arises because of the turbidity of the eye’s vitreous (a type of gel that is between the lens of the eye and the retina).
Diabetic Retinopathy Reason
Diabetic retinopathy occurs in people with diabetes mellitus whose blood sugar is not well controlled. In simple terms, high blood sugar levels will damage blood vessels, including in the retina of the eye.
The walls of the retinal blood vessels will thin so that they break easily. In diabetic retinopathy, the rupture of the retinal blood vessels causes bleeding spots to appear on the retina. This causes blurred vision.
In addition, the rupture of blood vessels in the retina will also cause the center of vision (macula) to lack blood and oxygen supply. This will worsen vision.
Diagnosis
Before knowing more about how to determine the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, it is necessary to know in advance the two types of this disease, namely:
- Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, namely retinal disorders in the form of thinning retinal blood vessels, bleeding spots in the retina, and the center of vision (macula) looks pale.
- Proliferative diabetic retinopathy, a continuation of non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, is characterized by the appearance of new blood vessels in the retina.
To be able to see any abnormalities in the retina as above, there are two types of examinations that can be performed by an ophthalmologist, namely:
- Fluorescent angiography examination. This examination is done by injecting a dye (fluorescent) into the vein in the arm.
The dye will color the retinal blood vessels, so the condition can be seen more easily. Furthermore, a kind of camera will take pictures of the retina to see if there is thinning of the blood vessels, blockage or rupture of blood vessels, and see if there is new blood vessel growth in the retina.
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT). The way this examination works is similar to a CT scan. Through OCT, detailed retinal images can be seen, including the state of the center of vision (macula).
Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment
The main treatment for diabetic retinopathy is to regulate blood sugar levels to keep them under control. Regulating blood sugar levels does not cure diabetic retinopathy, but rather prevents deterioration of vision. In some cases, controlling blood sugar levels can lead to improved vision.
In addition, there are several types of treatment that can be done, namely:
- Administration of anti-VEGF ( vascular endothelial growth factor ) drugs. This drug is given by injection into the eye. The goal is to prevent diabetic retinopathy from worsening.
- Laser. This action aims to stop bleeding in the ruptured retinal blood vessels. In addition, the laser is also useful for preventing the emergence of new blood vessels in the retina which can worsen vision.
- Vitrectomy. Vitrectomy surgery (removal of the vitreous and replacing it with synthetic material) can be performed on diabetic retinopathy that has entered the proliferative stage.
Prevention
By ensuring blood sugar is under controlled conditions, diabetic retinopathy can be prevented. Consult your doctor about choosing the right foods, physical exercise, and medicines so that the blood sugar levels of diabetics are not high.
In addition, diabetics are also advised to see an ophthalmologist regularly (once a year). The goal is to perform a screening test if diabetic retinopathy is present.