Diabetes and Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment
There are two kinds of diabetes (Type 1 and Type 2) and both of them are a contributing factor towards diabetic retinopathy, which can cause serious vision impairment. In general, diabetes is a condition that causes abnormal changes in blood sugar. This blood sugar is usually converted into energy, but with diabetes, these levels begin to spike unnaturally, and start accumulating in blood vessels. This leads to affected blood flow to the body’s vital organs, which include the eyes. With each occurrence of blood sugar spike, there is a risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. The condition begins to get serious when high levels of blood sugar start to clog vessels inside the retina, leading to long-term damage that hinders the performance of light sensitive photoreceptor cells.
Learn to Read the Signs of Diabetic Retinopathy
In most cases, your specialist can help diagnose if your eyes have been affected by diabetic retinopathy. During a regular eye exam, the eye doctor will looks for various signs of damage such as inflammation or swelling, protein deposits, and any signs of blood vessel leaking or bleeding. The examination also includes photographing the retina using a special illuminated dye to evaluate its overall condition. All these tests can help your doctor understand the intensity of the damage, so the best course of action can be planned.
As blood vessels begin to weaken, they start leaking fluids, which leads to an accumulation of fatty substances and yellow deposits in the retina. From an ophthalmologist’s point of view, this is the most obvious sign of diabetic retinopathy. However, there are several symptoms you can watch out for yourself that can help you determine if your eyes are affected by diabetic retinopathy, including:
As a serious eye condition that commonly develops in patients with diabetes, diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of blindness in patients aged 20 to 65. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when small blood vessels in the eye begin to swell up and start leaking. These vessels, which provide important nutrients for the retina, can become blocked. In order to replace this, abnormal blood vessels start growing on the retina to replace the blocked ones. These new ones are generally weaker with fragile walls, and are more susceptible to continued fluid leakage. There is a potential risk of blood leaking, which can lead to retinal detachment, severe vision loss and eventually blindness.
There are often no warning signs for diabetic retinopathy, which is why a yearly comprehensive eye exam is highly recommended as part of your complete diabetic eye care in Dubai. It is very common for patients to discover they have diabetes during an optometrist appointment where diabetic retinopathy is discovered. It is especially important for pregnant women who have Type 1 diabetes to have regular check ups during their first trimester, and pay close attention to changes in their eye conditions throughout their pregnancy. All diabetic patients are encouraged to have regular eye exams, as early treatment is the best defense against eye and vision complications.
With highly specialized doctors and advanced technologies, we are your ideal choice for diabetic retinopathy treatment in dubai, uae. Spanish Eye Center Dubai, UAE offers laser photocoagulation and various other conventional surgical procedures that can help control and cure the condition.