Diabetic Retinopathy: FAQs

Diabetic retinopathy is a disease where high blood sugar causes the blood vessels in the retina to swell and leak blood. If you have been diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy or suspect that you have the condition, contact one of our optometrists at Vision Plus right away. We provide quality eye care for residents in Bandera and San Antonio. Let’s take a look at some of the common questions that we run into regarding diabetic retinopathy.

Who Is at Risk for Diabetic Retinopathy?

Having long-term diabetes and changing blood sugar levels increases your risk for diabetic retinopathy. Most people will not develop this condition until they have had diabetes for at least 10 years. However, diabetes should still be checked every year. Regular visits to your eye doctor are important if you have diabetes.

Can I Prevent Diabetic Retinopathy?

Keeping your blood sugar at an even level can help you prevent diabetic retinopathy. If you have high blood pressure, keeping it at the correct level can also be helpful. Controlled diabetes can still lead to diabetic retinopathy, which is why you need to make sure that you have your eyes checked at least once per year so that your doctor can begin treatment as soon as possible.

What Are the Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy?

In the early stages, you may not have any symptoms or your earliest symptom might be blurred vision. In the later stages, you may develop blind spots, floaters, or cloudy vision.

Are There Different Types of Diabetic Retinopathy?

The condition can be classified as proliferative or nonproliferative. Nonproliferative is the beginning early stage. This is where the small retinal blood vessels break and start leaking. In the later stages, or proliferative, the new blood vessels grow unusually. The new growth can cause retinal detachment or scarring and can lead to vision loss. The new vessels can also bleed or grow into the vitreous humor.

Can You Cure Diabetic Retinopathy?

Unfortunately, there is no cure. Early treatment can slow the progress but it cannot fix your vision loss.

What Treatments Are Available?

The best treatment is to keep both your diabetes and blood pressure under control. Our eye doctors may do laser photocoagulation to help cause regression of the blood vessels that are leaking and prevent new growth.

Contact Our Optometrists in Bandera and San Antonio, TX

Detection and treatment for diabetic retinopathy start with a comprehensive eye exam at Vision Plus. Call our San Antonio office today at (210) 520-6353 or our Bandera office at (830) 850-0628 to schedule an appointment. You can also reach us through our website by using our online contact form.

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