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WHAT IS DIABETIC RETINOPATHY?

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common form of eye disease affecting sufferers of the blood-sugar condition.

It causes around 1,280 new cases of blindness every year in the UK. Nearly 7.7 million people in the US are affected by the condition.

Diabetic retinopathy usually impacts people who have had type 1 or 2 diabetes for several years.

It occurs when changes in blood-glucose levels result in alternations to the blood vessels in the retina.

This can cause the vessels to swell and leak fluid into the back of the eye.

Abnormal blood vessels can also grow on the retina's surface, which can affect vision and cause blindness.

Early stage diabetic retinopathy can be painless. In advanced cases, symptoms may include:

  • Sudden vision changes
  • Eye floaters and spots
  • Double vision
  • Eye pain

At-risk people include those with poor blood-glucose control, protein in their urine, high blood pressure, prolonged diabetes and raised fats in their blood.

Diabetic retinopathy can be prevented through regular eye examinations and proper diabetes management.

Its main treatment is laser surgery.

Source: Diabetes.co.uk

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