What Is Diabetic Retinopathy? Is it Reversible?

Diabetic Retinopathy is a disease that mostly people suffering from diabetes come across. It is a medical condition and primarily occurs because diabetes effect the retinas of the eyes and can also lead to blindness. It is usually seen in older people or those who have been suffering from diabetes for a long time now. Its cause is known to be damage in blood vessels of our retinas which happen to make a passage for the blood to seep out of the veins and grow even more fragile and newer blood vessels. With the damage of the blood vessels, the vision of a person gets hampered. He/she might feel changes like blurred vision, blood hemorrhage into the eye and even retinal detachment in severe cases. Diabetic Retinopathy is the most common complication a diabetic has to endure and it needs to be taken seriously.

Causes and symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy

The Diabetic Retinopathy is mainly caused by the high blood sugar levels as it can make your eyes weak and damage the blood vessels of retina. You will not experience the adversity of the problem till the advanced stage. The symptoms will be flashing lights or dark spots, sudden vision loss of one eye, blurred vision. You need to contact your ophthalmologist to have a complete examination of your condition.

Types of Diabetic Retinopathy

It can be classified in 3 types

• Background diabetic retinopathy – Tiny blood vessels of retinas get damaged.
• Diabetic maculopathy – Macula endures some damagediabetic “macular oedema” wherein vessels near macula start seeping in fluids on the macula.
• Proliferative retinopathy – more advanced level of the disease. Wherein newbrittle vessels develop in the retina and the existing ones make a way to fill the back of eyes with a gel like fluid making the dark spots appear in vision.

Risk Factors

You are at a higher risk of diabetic retinopathy if you have the following:

• High amount of fats and protein in Urine
• Persistent diabetes
• Poor control of blood sugar and high Blood pressure.
• Any other diabetic complication

Treatment

At every stage of this condition, there is a different way to treat. You would need regular examination and usually people opt for laser surgeries which usually has no side effects and is painless. Other options include Anti-VEGF therapy, Vitrectomy, and Intraocular steroid injection.

Can it be reversed?

Yes! It can be reversed through proper diet and exercise as diet plays an important role in the treatment of diabetes. Also proper medications and injections can prove to be very helpful in getting rid of this problem. If the blood sugar levels and blood pressure levels are controlled, it can be treated or else it can lead to permanent eye vision loss.

Conclusion

For a diabetic, proper diet is of paramount importance. Have whole foods and plant diet and fruits as well. Also you need to bring down your glucose levels in the blood to have it cured. The patients need to take really good care of their health as diabetes is a home to many other fatal medical conditions.