Diabetes Mellitus Chronic Complications - What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Diabetes is chronic disease which affects the major organs of the body, including the eye leading to diabetic retinopathy. The retina is the innermost layer of the eye and it is the part of the eye that is primarily affected in diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy causes about 12,000 -24000 new cases of blindness in the United States alone and it is the leading cause of blindness amongst adults aged between20-74 years. It will affect most people with diabetes, the risk increases with the length of diabetes, the longer the diabetes, the higher the risk. Diabetic retinopathy leads to visual impairment and if not treated it leads to blindness, but loss of vision is preventable and treatable if managed in a timely manner.



Symptoms
Diabetic retinopathy progresses slowly without any noticeable symptom and the first symptom may be a severe vision limiting event.



Predisposing factors
-Long duration of disease
-Poor glucose sugar control
-Increased blood pressure
-High serum lipid concentration
-Pregnancy
-Anemia
-Kidney disease



Screening for Diabetic Retinopathy
In type 2 diabetes examination of the eye by an eye doctor{ophthalmologist} must be done first at diagnosis and then subsequently once every year. In type1 examination after 12 years of age and it must be done 3-5 years after diagnosis. The retinal examination is done with an opthalmoscope.



Management
The key to successful management is prevention.
Interventions are most useful when they are carried out early in the disease, before severe retinal damage is done. Management involves:



a} good glucose control
b} control of lipids
c} control of blood pressure
d} surgical treatment: laser photocoagulation and vitrectomy are 2 different eye surgeries that can be used to treat it.



Diabetes mellitus can also lead to other chronic complications which a diabetic also needs to be aware of.