Diabetic retinopathy is a serious complication of diabetes that affects the eyes. Here's an overview of its symptoms, treatment plans, and diagnosis/testing:
Blurred Vision: Blurry vision can occur due to swelling in the retina.
Floaters: Tiny specks or spots that float across your field of vision.
Impaired Color Vision: Difficulty differentiating colors.
Dark or Empty Areas in Vision: Regions where vision is absent or obscured.
Fluctuating Vision: Vision may vary depending on blood sugar levels.
Blood Sugar Control: Tight control of blood sugar levels can slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy.
Laser Treatment: Laser therapy can be used to seal leaking blood vessels or to shrink abnormal vessels.
Injections: Anti-VEGF medications can help reduce swelling and block the growth of abnormal blood vessels.
Vitrectomy: In severe cases, surgery may be needed to remove blood from the vitreous and scar tissue that's pulling on the retina.
Dilated Eye Exam: An eye care professional will use drops to dilate your pupils and examine the retina and optic nerve for signs of damage.
Fluorescein Angiography: A special dye is injected into your arm, and pictures are taken as the dye passes through the blood vessels in your retina. This helps identify leaking blood vessels.
Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT): This non-invasive imaging test provides detailed cross-sectional images of the retina, allowing doctors to detect fluid accumulation and measure the thickness of the retina.
Visual Acuity Test: This measures how well you see at various distances.
Tonometry: This test measures the pressure inside the eye, which is important for monitoring glaucoma, another eye condition that can occur in diabetics.
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