• What is Diabetic Eye Disease?
• • Diabetic Eye Disease is a term used to describe the common eye complications seen in people with diabetes. It includes Diabetic Retinopathy, diabetic macular oedema, cataracts and glaucoma. It is a complication of diabetes, caused by high blood sugar levels damaging the back of the eye (retina). It can cause blindness if left undiagnosed and untreated.

• How do I know if I have Diabetic Retinopathy?
• • As Diabetic Retinopathy is a disease that remains asymptomatic until a very advanced stage, the importance of regular eye examinations cannot be overemphasized, especially for people who are diabetic. An optometrist or ophthalmologist can detect DR by examining the back of the eye (ocular fundus examination), which will also indicate the type and severity of the disease.

• Is there more than one kind of Diabetic Retinopathy?
• • There are two kinds of Diabetic Retinopathy:
    Nonproliferative Diabetic Retinopathy and Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy.
    
    Nonproliferative Retinopathy
    In Nonproliferative Diabetic Retinopathy, the blood vessels, which have become fragile due to an excess of blood sugar, start to leak fluid (plasma) and blood, and this can cause the retina to swell.
    
    Proliferative Retinopathy
    Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy is an aggravation of nonproliferative Diabetic Retinopathy. Small abnormal blood vessels form, invading the retina. These blood vessels can break, causing hemorrhages.

• How does Diabetic Eye Disease affect my eyes?
• • Diabetic Retinopathy harms blood vessels in the retina, in the back of the eye. Small blood vessels in the retina become weak. They break down, leak and bleed. Unhealthy new blood vessels may start to grow.
    
    Weak blood vessels may leak fluid and cause swelling. This is called macular edema and can distort your vision. When unhealthy new blood vessels grow, they can bleed into the clear, jelly-like fluid, called vitreous, that fills most of the eyeball. This causes dark spots, strands that look like cobwebs, or clouding in your vision. Scars from healing blood vessels sometimes pull the retina away from the back of the eye. The retina can then tear or become detached. This can result in serious vision loss or even blindness.

• What are the symptons?
• • You won't usually notice Diabetic Retinopathy in the early stages, as it doesn't tend to have any obvious symptoms until it's more advanced. However, early signs of the condition can be picked up by taking photographs of the eyes during diabetic eye screening.
    Contact us immediately if you experience:
    • Gradually worsening vision
    • Sudden vision loss
    • Shapes floating in your field of vision (floaters)
    • Blurred or patchy vision
    • Eye pain or redness

• Will one or both eyes be affected?
• • The signs and symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy can appear in one only eye, but usually both eyes are affected—though not necessarily equally.

• Am I at risk?
• • You're at a greater risk if you:
    • Have had diabetes for a long time
    • Have a persistently high blood sugar (blood glucose) level
    • Have high blood pressure
    • Have high cholesterol
    • Are pregnant
    • Are of Asian or Afro-Caribbean background

• How can I reduce my risk?
• • You can reduce your risk of developing Diabetic Retinopathy, or help prevent it getting worse, by:
    • Controlling your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels
    • Taking your diabetes medication as prescribed
    • Attending all your screening appointments
    • Getting medical advice quickly if you notice any changes to your vision
    • Maintaining a healthy weight, eating a healthy, balanced diet, exercising regularly and stopping smoking.
    Get an eye examination!

• Can the progression of Diabetic Retinopathy be slowed?
• • Yes. Existing therapies have proven effective in slowing the progression of symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy. Even better, certain treatments can actually improve vision.
    Get an eye examination!

• Can Diabetic Retinopathy be reversed?
• • While it won't undo any damage to your vision, treatment can stop your vision from getting worse. It's also important to take steps to control your diabetes, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Injections. Medicines called anti-VEGF drugs can slow down or reverse Diabetic Retinopathy.
    Get an eye examination!

• Can Diabetic Eye Disease cause blindness?
• • Yes. It usually takes several years for Diabetic Retinopathy to reach a stage where it could threaten your sight, but without treatment you may go blind.
    Get an eye examination!