What is Diabetic Retinopathy? An Optometrist Explains.

One of the biggest dangers for your eyes can be something sweet: sugar. From candy and soda to not-so-sweet foods like bread and rice, sugar is in almost everything we eat. Diabetes is a medical condition where the body has trouble processing sugars and carbohydrates. It can damage the eyes in a condition called diabetic retinopathy, one of the most common causes of blindness in the world. 

What is diabetic retinopathy? 

Diabetic retinopathy is when high levels of sugar damage the retina, the light sensor in the back of the eye. The retina works the same way as film in a film camera or the sensor in a digital camera – it captures everything we see. Too much sugar in the bloodstream can damage the tiny blood vessels in the retina. They can become weak and begin to leak blood and fluid into the eye. 

What does diabetic retinopathy feel like? 

The scary thing about diabetic retinopathy is that it’s a painless condition. In the early stages of bleeding and leakage, you may not feel any problems with your eyes. Diabetic retinopathy is dangerous because you don’t even notice any changes in your vision until the disease has progressed to advanced stages that require treatment. As more blood leaks into the eye, it’s even possible for a blood vessel to break open and completely fill the inside of the eyeball with blood. As painful as that may sound, it actually happens without you feeling anything. 

How is diabetic retinopathy treated? 

The first step to treating diabetic retinopathy is getting an eye exam. An eye doctor can check your retina and catch any damage to the blood vessels before it gets serious. Bleeding in the retina can be reversed with good blood sugar control, depending on the level of damage. The best early treatment strategy is to work with your medical provider to manage blood sugar levels. In the later stages of diabetic retinopathy, laser procedures or medication injections from an ophthalmologist can help prevent vision loss.  

Even if you do not have high blood sugar, it is important to have regular eye exams – sometimes diabetic retinopathy can be the first sign of undiagnosed diabetes. Recent studies have shown that between 20-45% of people who were recently diagnosed with diabetes have some level of diabetic retinopathy already in their eyes. If your eye doctor catches signs of bleeding or leakage in your retina, they will recommend special testing with your primary care doctor to check your blood for diabetes. In some cases, an eye exam is the first time someone finds out they may have diabetes. 

How can I prevent diabetic retinopathy? 

The good news about diabetic retinopathy is that it is preventable with eye exams and medical care with your primary care doctor. Regular eye exams can catch diabetic retinopathy before permanent vision loss develops. If you have diabetes, it’s essential to work with your medical provider to keep your blood sugar under control. Diet, exercise, and taking prescribed medications are the cornerstones of good diabetes management, and so critical for preventing diabetic retinopathy. Keeping your blood sugar at a healthy level is not only good for your eyes but can prevent heart attacks and strokes as well.  How can Serve the People help me with my diabetic retinopathy?  

Serve the People uses advanced, state of the art technology to quickly and accurately detect diabetic retinopathy. We use an Optos digital widefield camera that allows a near instant determination of whether diabetes is affecting the back of the eye. We use this technology in all our eye exams whether you have diabetes or not! These photos also allow us to monitor your retina over time to detect if diabetic retinopathy is progressing or improving over time.  

If diabetic retinopathy is detected, we will often follow up by monitoring with a specialized ultrasound device called an optical coherence tomography, or OCT for short. This instrument allows us to see fine, microscopic details that would otherwise be impossible to see. By detecting the tiniest details, we can determine if someone would benefit from specialized eye medications and also monitor how well the medicines are working. 

The good news about diabetic retinopathy is that it is treatable with close collaboration with your eye doctor and primary care doctor. At Serve the People, we have amazing eye doctors trained to detect and manage diabetic retinopathy. We also offer ophthalmology services for patients who need advanced care for their eyes. Beyond vision services, our caring medical department will help you take on the challenges of managing your diabetes.  

Your personal team of doctors at Serve the People will help you make informed decisions about your eyes and overall health, from medication options to lifestyle changes, and information on how to make the best nutritional choices.  

The most important part of preventing vision loss from diabetic retinopathy is the first step: calling your friendly eye doctors at Serve the People to schedule a consultation! We have a state-of-the-art facility, conveniently located in Orange with the best equipment and friendly providers, ready to manage all of your eye care needs.  

To schedule a consultation with one of our providers, call us at (714) 352-2911. 

This blog was written by Dr. Larry Sieve, Director of Optometry.