Diabetic Retinopathy
What is diabetic retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy occurs in people with diabetes when there
is damage to the retina, the light-sensitive lining at the back of
the eye. In some people with diabetic retinopathy, blood vessels
may swell and leak fluid. In other people, abnormal new blood
vessels grow on the surface of the retina.
If you have diabetic retinopathy, at first you may not notice
changes to your vision. But over time diabetic retinopathy can get
worse and cause vision loss. It usually affects both eyes.
Symptoms
Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy include:
- Seeing spots or floaters in your field of vision
- Blurred vision
- Having a dark or empty spot in the centre of your vision
- Difficulty seeing well at night.
Treatment & Prevention
People who maintain a healthy lifestyle and control blood
glucose levels are less likely to develop diabetes-related
retinopathy. However, it is very important that people with
diabetes see their Visique optometrist regularly for an assessment
of their eye health. With annual screening, any threats to sight
that do develop can be detected and treated promptly minimising the
risk of permanent loss of vision.