Diabetic eye disease is the number one cause of new cases of blindness in the United States. Diabetic retinopathy is a potentially blinding condition in which the blood vessels inside the retina become damaged from the high blood sugar levels associated with diabetes. The retina lines the inside of the back of the eye. The image the eye sees forms on the retina much like the image that a camera sees forms on film.

There are two types of diabetic retinopathy. The less severe type is called Nonproliferative Diabetic Retinopathy. In this type, abnormal leakage of blood and/or fluid occurs in the retina. Vision loss can occur from one of two ways that affect the macula, the part of the eye responsible for our most critical vision. The macula can become irreversibly damaged by ischemia, which is a lack of blood flow to that part of the eye. The macula can also become edematous, which is swelling of this critical portion of the eye with fluid leaking from the blood vessels.

The second type of diabetic retinopathy is the more severe Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy. This occurs when abnormal blood vessels start to grow in the retina. The vessels can bleed and in severe cases can pull the retina off of its normal attachments.

The best treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy is early detection. Diabetics should be screened for retinopathy at least once a year. By doing so, your Eye M.D. can pick up early signs of disease before it starts affecting your vision. For the most part, once vision is lost from diabetic retinopathy, it impossible to restore. That is why early detection is extremely important.

See Retinal Angiography

See Laser Diabetic Eye Treatment