5 Facts About Diabetic Retinopathy All Diabetics Must Know

2. If you’re a diabetic patient, it is incredibly crucial that you check your eyes for diabetic retinopathy either from your regular physician or an ophthalmologist as frequently as possible. People who have diabetes technically have high sugar levels in their blood, which can damage their blood vessels over time. And some small blood vessels that are located behind the eye are a typical victim of this condition, leading to diabetic retinopathy. It commonly occurs in both Type-1 and Type-2 diabetic patients but develops gradually for over a decade. It is treatable and controllable in its early stages; however, if not diagnosed and treated, it can cause severe damage to the eyes. Here are some other facts about diabetic retinopathy that we think will definitely help you understand diabetic retinopathy better: It Can Lead To Blindness: It is no news that diabetic retinopathy is the primary cause of blindness around the world. No other disease causes as many blindness cases as this condition. It is estimated that over 33% of diabetic patients will suffer from diabetic retinopathy.

3. It Grows Severe With Time It has been proven that for a Type-1 diabetic patient, the chances of developing diabetic retinopathy are 25% after 5 years, 60% after 10 years, and 80% after 15 years. This proves that it is an aggravating condition that needs to be dealt with in time. It Has Various Risk Factors Associated To Its Development: Various factors such as smoking, hypertension, nephropathy, anemia, poor glycemic control, etc. have been associated with the development of this condition. Hence, early awareness and precautionary measures can help patients treat such factors and prevent diabetic retinopathy. It Develops in Four Stages: Diabetic retinopathy progresses in four stages before causes complete blindness, from mild to moderate to acute non-proliferative and finally to the proliferative stage.

4. Stage 1 – Mild Nonproliferative Retinopathy: The condition initiates with mild swelling in the eyes known as ‘microaneurysms,’ which doesn’t spread, without any other major symptoms. Stage 2 – Moderate Nonproliferative Retinopathy: Later, the swelling starts to increase and starts creating blockages, forming a fluid built-up known as ‘diabetic macular edema.’ The condition still isn’t considered as proliferative at this stage. Stage 3 – Severe Nonproliferative Retinopathy: As the blockages become severe, the retinal system misreads this condition and starts over-producing new blood vessels to deal with those blockages. Stage 4 – Proliferative Diabetic Therapy With the proliferation of blood vessels, the vitreous humor of the eye becomes blocked, and if the blood vessels rupture, they can cause retinal detachment and subsequent vision loss.

5. Funduscopic Examination Helps Identify Diabetic Retinopathy: Diabetes patients who punctually follow their funduscopic examination course have a higher chance of preventing diabetic retinopathy than others. Frequent eye examinations from various eye-related specialists make it easier to diagnose this condition in the early stages and undergo appropriate treatment. If you’re worried about your diabetic conditions and want to know how to get the right diabetic retinopathy treatment in Mumbai, then come down to Samarth Eye Care Hospital, a comprehensive eye clinic for specialized retinopathy treatment. You can even visit our Samarth Eye Care website to consult one of our ophthalmologists about getting the most effective diabetic retinopathy treatment in Mumbai.

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