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Diabetic Retinopathy
(REH-tih-NOP-uh-thee)
Diabetic Retinopathy is the medical term for the most
common diabetes eye problem.
It is the leading cause of blindness in American adults. It damages
the blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive nerve tissue in
your eye that sends visual images to your brain.
Blurred vision or temporary blindness can occur when blood vessels
weaken, bulge and leak fluid into surrounding tissue, causing
swelling - a condition called macular edema.
Abnormal new blood vessels grow on the retina, where they can bleed
into the eye and block vision.
As the disease progresses, the retina can detach from the eye,
resulting in permanent blindness.
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With early detection and treatment,
irreversible vision loss can be prevented. |
This is just one of the reasons it is so
important to have your eyes checked on a
regular basis. In addition to testing your
vision, we will look for any symptoms of eye
disease.
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Call us right away if you are having any
vision problems
or if you have had a sudden change in your
vision. |
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Retina damage happens slowly!
Your retinas have tiny blood vessels that are easy to damage. Having
high blood glucose and high blood pressure for a long time can
damage these tiny blood vessels.
First, these tiny blood vessels swell and weaken. Some blood vessels
then become clogged and do not let enough blood through. At first,
you might not have any loss of sight from these changes. This is why
you need to have a comprehensive eye exam once a year even if your
sight seems fine.
One of your eyes may be damaged more than the other. Or both eyes
may have the same amount of damage.
As diabetic retina problems get worse, new blood vessels grow. These
new blood vessels are weak. They break easily and leak blood into
the vitreous of your eye. The leaking blood keeps light from
reaching the retina.
You may see floating spots or almost total darkness. Sometimes the
blood will clear out by itself. But you might need surgery to remove
it.
Over the years, the swollen and weak blood vessels can form scar
tissue and pull the retina away from the back of the eye. If the
retina becomes detached, you may see floating spots or flashing
lights.
You may feel as if a curtain has been pulled over part of your
vision. A detached retina can cause loss of sight or blindness if
you don't take care of it right away.
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