Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy occurs as a complication of diabetes; when high levels of sugar (glucose) in the blood cause damage to the retina. The retina is made up of layers of light-detecting cells at the back of the eye. If left untreated, diabetic retinopathy can result in blindness.

One reason why regular screening for diabetic retinopathy is important is that its symptoms are not always noticeable, often only appearing in more advanced stages.
However, early signs of diabetic retinopathy can be detected during regular evaluation by your ophthalmologist.

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Some symptoms of diabetic retinopathy include: gradual deterioration of vision, including blurring or irregularity, sudden loss of vision, and redness or pain in the eyes.
These symptoms are not necessarily a sign that you have the disease. However, if you experience these symptoms and have diabetes, it is recommended that you contact an ophthalmologist for a diabetic retinopathy test.

Typically, in the early stages, diabetic retinopathy does not affect vision, but the condition can progress if left untreated to the point where it can cause blindness. Both mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (where small lumps appear in the retinal blood vessels) and moderate to severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (where the condition becomes more severe and retinal haemorrhage occurs) always place the patient at high risk.

Another manifestation of diabetic retinopathy is diabetic macular oedema, whose manifestation is the blockage of blood vessels in the macula (the central area of ​​the retina responsible for central vision and identification of details) and which does not allow the patient to drive or read, even if the side vision remains normal. Diabetic macular oedema can be treated with Laser (photocoagulation) or injection with anti-VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor), a substance that improves the vascularization of the eye and reduces additional bleeding from abnormal vessels.