If you experience any abnormality in your vision or notice black spots in the eye, it may indicate diabetic retinopathy. A condition, caused by abnormal blood sugar levels, can lead to blindness in severe cases.However, the sooner your diagnosis and treatment are established, the better your chances are, to prevent any complex consequences.
Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease that occurs due to complications in diabetes and increased blood sugar level. In this condition, the light-sensitive tissue in the eye is damaged, affecting the vision and leading to blindness in severe cases.
This condition arises when the blood sugar level becomes uncontrollable. Due to these elevated blood sugar levels, the sugar starts depositing in the vascular system in the eye that supply blood to the retina(light-sensitive tissue in the eye) and eventually blocks the blood supply. As a result, the eye develops new abnormal blood vessels, but the blood leaks out of these vessels and spread in the vitreous (gel-like substance in the eye). This condition leads to blurry vision and, in worst cases, blindness.
This disease mainly occurs in patients with Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes, who have been experiencing this condition for a long time. Most pregnant mothers also develop this diabetic disorder during or before pregnancy (gestational diabetes).
Some of the leading causes of diabetic retinopathy are:
• High blood sugar level for a long time
• Swelling of the retina in the eye (due to poor blood supply)
• High cholesterol level
• High blood pressure.
All these conditions collectively cause the disease.
At early stages, the patient notices no symptoms. However, over a period of time, the condition can get worse, presenting the following signs and symptoms:
• Floaters in the eye(flash spots)
• Blurry vision
• Affected night vision
• Dark and light shades when seeing at objects
If you are experiencing any of the symptoms mentioned above, you should visit your ophthalmologist (eye specialist). The doctor will perform a dilated pupil exam to see into your eye closely. The doctor will put an eye drop into your eye that will dilate(widen) the pupil. This procedure is painless and does not affect your vision.
The other procedure for diagnosing the disorder is Optical coherence tomography (OCT), in which the doctor will take images of your retina to look closely for swelling in the retina.
Fluorescein Angiography enables the doctor to look closely into the retina and see any damage or leaking blood vessels. A yellow dye named fluorescein is injected into any vein of the body (mainly in the arm), which travels into the eye and helps the doctor monitor the blood flow in the veins of the eye.
To treat this diabetic disorder, the ophthalmologist injects an anti-VEGF drug that slows down the diabetic retinopathy.
Laser treatments can also help by reducing the swelling in the retina. But if your eye has a high level of bleeding that scars the eye, the doctor can recommend eye surgery.
This condition can be prevented by taking a few measures that decrease the risk factor of the disease to a considerable level. Follow the following tips to avoid this diabetic disorder:
• If you are a diabetic patient, maintain your blood glucose level by taking a healthy diet and following an appropriate exercise regimen
• You should monitor your blood sugar level and notice any abnormal behavior
• It would help if you quit smoking and use tobacco to reduce the risk factor of this eye disorder
• Carefully notice any visible change in your vision
Our board-certified team ofophthalmologists work in close coordination with endocrinologists to devise an effective treatment plan keeping in view of increased blood sugar level. Our staff is trained in using the latest technology and methods for precise diagnosis and treatments.
If you are concerned about the abnormalities in your vision or experiencing elevatedblood glucose level then book an appointment with highly experienced Ophthalmologists at American Hospital by using online booking form, and receive compassionate and expert healthcare services in Dubai.
