Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that impacts people with diabetes. Usually, it causes blindness in adults, but you don’t have to worry about it. If it is detected at an early stage, the condition can be managed effectively. Vision fluctuation, cloudy vision, and vision loss are some of the common symptoms of this eye condition.
Diabetic retinopathy brings a huge risk factor which is, it does not reflect visible symptoms in its initial stages. With the progression of this disease, the diabetic patient may also observe permanent blindness. Also, if you have hypertension issues, it can cause hypertensive retinopathy, complicating the eye condition.
Therefore, early check-ups help in identifying the damage to the retina which further can protect against permanent damage to your vision.
To help you better understand this eye difficulty, let’s dive deeper into knowing what diabetic retinopathy is, its symptoms, causes, and management. This blog is a comprehensive guide to understanding the depth of this condition.
What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that is triggered when the blood vessels in the retina and the light-sensitive tissues at the back of the eye are damaged due to increased blood sugar levels.
With time, diabetic retinopathy leads to vision loss and even permanent blindness. If it is not treated properly, the condition gets worse. Studies say that in almost 90% of type 1 diabetes-affected people and 50% of type 2 diabetes-affected people, some form of diabetic retinopathy is developed within 20 years of diagnosis.
Let’s dig a little deeper into understanding its symptoms and causes for its timely prevention.
- Cloudy or Distorted Vision: Due to leaking fluid in the blood vessels in the retina, the retina swells, causing blurry vision.
- Floaters: Floaters are little dark strings that look to float your vision is an indication of diabetic retinopathy.
- Night Vision Difficulty: If you face problems seeing things in low light conditions, it is certainly a sign of diabetic retinopathy.
- Problem in Colour Identification: When the blood vessels in the retina are damaged, it reduces your ability to see and identify colours.
- Blindness: The extreme conditions of diabetic retinopathy can lead to permanent vision loss.
You should know that in the early stages of this eye condition, the symptoms may go unnoticed. Therefore, if you have diabetes, it is important to seek frequent medical attention. Now, let’s discuss the causes of diabetic retinopathy.
What Causes Diabetic Retinopathy?
Several risk factors can increase the likelihood of developing diabetic retinopathy. These factors include:
- Poorly controlled blood sugar levels
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol levels
- Prolonged diabetes
- Obesity
- Family history of the condition.
Additionally, certain factors, such as smoking and pregnancy, also increase the risk of diabetic retinopathy in people with diabetes. Before you lose your vision, it is important to take essential steps.
Effective Ways to Prevent Diabetic Retinopathy
Are you wondering how you can protect your vision from diabetic retinopathy? We will help you understand the ways to manage this eye condition.You can take some of the following essential steps:
- Regular Eye Examinations
If you have diabetes, schedule regular eye examinations with an eye care professional. These examinations can help detect diabetic retinopathy at an early stage to treat it better. Your eye care professional may perform tests for a detailed examination of the retina.
- Blood Sugar Control
Maintaining good blood sugar control is crucial to control diabetic retinopathy. High blood sugar affects the blood vessels in the retina, which leads to the development and progression of the condition.
Consult with your eye care professional to develop a diabetes management plan that includes regular monitoring of blood sugar levels, medications, and a healthy diet.
- Blood Pressure and Cholesterol Management
High blood pressure and high cholesterol levels are likely to increase the severity of diabetic retinopathy. Through lifestyle changes and the right medications, you can control blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- Regular Exercise
A healthy lifestyle can significantly reduce the risk of diabetic retinopathy. You should engage more in physical activity to balance your body weight as it lowers your cholesterol level and maintains better overall health.
- Timely Treatment
If diabetic retinopathy is detected, ensure to follow the recommended treatment plan promptly. Treatment options may include laser therapy, intraocular injections of medications, or in advanced cases, surgical interventions.
Diabetic retinopathy is a serious eye condition for people with diabetes. This eye condition can mark devastating consequences if left untreated. Before it complicates, you should get a consultation from the best eye care doctors.
To mitigate your hassles finding the best diabetic retinopathy treatment, Dr Agarwals Eye Hospital is the right place. If you or your loved ones have diabetic retinopathy, book an appointment with their top specialists to get an effective treatment.