Blindness is linked directly to a disease called retinopathy.
What is retinopathy?
Retinopathy is the medical term for disease of the eye, specifically damage to a part of the eye called the retina. The retina is located at the back of the eye and has an important function in enabling us to see. Damage to this part can result in vision problems and blindness.
Retinopathy and diabetes
All diabetes patients are at a higher risk of developing retinopathy this is because the condition shares many of the same risk factors as diabetes, such as high blood glucose, high blood pressure and high blood fats. Type 1 patients are at a higher risk after five or more years. Type 2 patients are susceptible to retinopathy from diagnosis because they may have had diabetes undiagnosed for a considerable time, meaning their blood glucose levels may have been high for a prolonged period; this is a major cause of retinopathy.
What can I do to reduce my risk of retinopathy?
As retinopathy is a complication of diabetes, the primary advice for reducing your risk is to maintain control of your diabetes by ensuring the following:
- Manage your blood glucose levels
- Maintain normal levels of blood fat (cholesterol)
- Maintain a healthy blood pressure as much as possible
All of the above can be achieved by:
- Ensuring correct and timely usage of medication as instructed by your physician
- Act on the advice and instruction of your physician and the diabetes care team, particularly with regards to diet, exercise and stopping smoking
Are their effective treatments for retinopathy once it has presented?
There are treatments for retinopathy; these are primarily invasive, which means they involve a direct procedure on the eye rather than medication. The procedure used will depend on the type of retinopathy and the severity of the symptoms. Retinopathy treatments include laser treatment, anti-VEGF (intra-occular) injections and vitrectomy. Your treatment options and detailed information of procedures will be explained by the diabetes team in the first instance.
Important: Regardless of which invasive treatment you have, it is very important to be in control of your diabetes. This will enable these treatments to succeed and the outcomes to be maintained. Prior to invasive treatment you should:
- Reach your targets set by your care team. This may be done through lifestyle changes such as diet and exercise
- Follow your medication treatment plan
