Blindness due to diabetes When there is too much sugar in the blood, it results in hyperglycemia, or high blood glucose. It happens when your body can’t absorb insulin properly or if you don’t have enough insulin in your system (insulin is the hormone that moves glucose into the blood).
Management of diabetes involves keeping blood glucose levels as close to normal as possible. But no matter how vigilant you are, if you have diabetes, eventually hyperglycemia will emerge. If you have diabetes and your fasting blood sugar is higher than 125 mg/dL (milligrams per deciliter), you have hyperglycemia.
Zee News Digital spoke to Dr. Priyanka Singh (MBBS, MS, DNB, FAICO), Consultant and Eye Surgeon, Eyetra Eye Centre, New Delhi about the impact of high blood sugar on vision and eye health. Here we have shared some practical information about diabetes and its effect on vision.
What is diabetic retinopathy?
Diabetes is a serious condition that has a significant impact on many organs including the eyes and causes organ failure. This is a complication that occurs when blood sugar levels get out of control and is also called diabetic retinopathy.
Diabetic retinopathy, a condition caused by uncontrolled diabetes over a long period of time, including type I, type II, and gestational diabetes, can severely impair vision and cause retinal damage.
What causes diabetic retinopathy?
High blood sugar levels subtly damage the walls of the tiny blood vessels in the retina, causing them to swell and leak. This sometimes results in macular edema, which impairs vision.
Diabetic retinopathy, also known as nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), is currently in its early stages. Most people are completely asymptomatic during this period. Later stages of blood vessel leakage lead to hemorrhage and growth of new blood vessels in the retina. This eventually causes scarring and detachment of the retina. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), also known as this advanced stage, results in severe retinal damage.
How does diabetic retinopathy spread or progress?
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists macular edema, cataracts and glaucoma as eye conditions that can affect people with diabetes. All of these conditions can cause vision loss, but early detection and treatment can greatly improve your chances of keeping your vision.
Different stages of diabetic retinopathy
, Primary stage: The blood vessel walls of the retina weaken and swell, forming small bags that leak blood and other fluid and impair vision. This condition is also known as non-fertility.
, advanced stage: This is the proliferative phase in which the retina begins to generate new blood vessels that are fragile and bleed easily and cause floating dark spots in your vision. If the bleeding goes uncontrolled, your vision may be completely blocked.
How can early detection of diabetic retinopathy help prevent vision loss?
Early detection and good care can restore full vision at this stage. If the disease progresses to the proliferative stage, a range of treatments such as lasers, injections and often vitrectomy (eye surgery) may be required to restore vision. Without adequate treatment it will not reverse and any neglect at this stage can result in permanent loss of vision.
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Signs and Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy
Most early cases are without any symptoms. Diabetic retinopathy can be caught in time with regular eye and retinal exams at least once a year.
Urgent investigation is needed if:
Sudden change in vision
– distorted vision
– Sudden appearance of floaters
– high blood sugar
– Fluctuations in blood sugar
Can diabetic retinopathy be cured?
Good blood sugar control can prevent the progression of retinopathy. Early cases of NPDR can be reversed on their own. Cases of macular edema often require medication in the form of an injection to reduce inflammation and prevent further progression.
The main factors that increase the risk of the condition are psychological stress and diet. These elements can reduce the texture of the vessels and increase the permeability. Therefore, experts say that prevention and a healthy lifestyle are the best ways to treat or possibly reverse diabetic retinopathy.
treatment for diabetic retinopathy
There is no cure for the condition, but treatment often works well to stop, delay, or reduce the progression of vision loss or possible blindness. However, the sooner the condition is detected, the more likely you are to receive supportive treatment. Preventive treatments include:
– Laser treatment (photocoagulation): carried out before the retina is severely damaged.
Anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) or an anti-inflammatory drug: Injections of these types of drugs can help the new blood vessels shrink.
Surgical removal of the vitreous gel (vitrectomy): can help improve vision if the retina is not severely damaged.