Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy, (retinal disease), is a disorder of the blood vessels in the retina, (the visual layer which lines the back of the eyeball). It is a leading cause of blindness in this country.

The incidence and severity of retinopathy are generally related to the duration of diabetes. Fifty percent of patients who have had diabetes mellitus for 10 years show some degree of retinopathy. Those having diabetes for 25 years or more have a ninety-five percent incidence of retinopathy.

Retinopathy occurs in two forms. In the milder form, the disturbance of the retinal circulation is localized within the retina. Damage first occurs in the blood vessel walls, leading to leakage of blood and serum into the retina. If critical visual areas are involved, permanent damage to central vision can occur.

In the more severe form, (proliferative retinopathy), new blood vessels grow into the clear vitreous jelly, which normally fills the center of the eye, and may lead to bleeding, scar tissue formations, or retinal detachment.

Treatment

In most cases, both types of retinopathy can be treated by photocoagulation. In this form of treatment, a fine laser beam is directed into the eye and focused on a small spot on the retina. The light energy coagulates or "welds" the new vessels, preventing further leakage. The treatment generally produces little discomfort and is done as an outpatient procedure.

Prevention

There is no known way of preventing either type of retinopathy, but regular dilated examinations of the eye can detect problems in their early stages, when treatment is more successful. The interval between examinations is varied according to the condition of the eye.