Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic Retinopathy Q&A

What is diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that affects your eyes. It causes damage to the blood vessels in the back of of your eye, in an area called the retina. In its early stages, diabetic retinopathy rarely presents symptoms. As it gets worse, you might experience distorted vision, vision loss, or blindness.

Anyone who has Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes can develop the condition. As a result, it’s important to keep your blood sugar levels in check and visit Network Eye annually for diabetes eye tests. 

What are the symptoms of diabetic retinopathy?

It's important to know that you may have Diabetic Retinopathy even before you experience symptoms, so it's important to get your annual diabetes eye test every year. Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy include:

• Floaters
• Distorted vision
• Blurry vision
• Dark or empty areas in your vision

Over time, you might also experience mild to severe vision loss.

When should I see an eye doctor about diabetic retinopathy?

If you’ve been diagnosed with any type of diabetes, it’s important to visit the team at Network Eye at least once a year for a diabetes eye test. That’s especially true if you notice any vision changes that occur suddenly and fail to improve with corrective lenses.

How is diabetic retinopathy diagnosed?

At Network Eye, we uses the latest technology for diabetic retinopathy testing. The diabetes eye test available at Network Eye takes less than five minutes. 

During this test, our machine will take a picture of the back of your eye to determine whether there are signs of diabetic retinopathy. This test does not require dilation. If you do need an additional examination, we will schedule a follow-up, comprehensive diagnostic eye exam with our Network Eye doctor.

What happens in a comprehensive diabetes eye exam?

At the beginning of your exam, we use special eye drops to dilate your eyes. This allows the doctor to see your retina and examine its condition. Once your eyes are dilated, the doctor conducts two tests:

Fluorescein angiography

During fluorescein angiography, the doctor injects a dye into a vein in your arm. Then, we take photos of your eye as the dye circulates through your blood vessels. We use these photos to find blood vessels that are closed, ruptured, or leaking.

Optical coherence tomography

In optical coherence tomography, we take cross-sectional photos of your retina. They help the doctor determine how much fluid has leaked into your retinal tissue.

How is diabetic retinopathy treated?

Treatment of diabetic retinopathy depends on how severe your symptoms are. If you have a mild case of retinopathy, our doctors might recommend a “watch and wait” approach. Your provider can also make recommendations to keep your blood sugar in check.

If you have an advanced case of diabetic retinopathy, the team might recommend:

• Injecting medications into your eye
• Using laser treatment to stop leakage of blood and fluid
• Using laser treatment to shrink the affected blood vessels
• Vitrectomy (making a small incision in your eye to remove blood and fluid)

Ultimately, the goal of treatment is to stop the progression of the disease and prevent it from getting worse. 

To receive treatment for diabetic retinopathy, make an appointment at Network Eye by calling the office, or using the online booking feature today.