Diabetic retinopathy is a widely known complication of diabetes. It is a common and potentially disabling long-term disease that shows up when increased blood sugar level damages the small blood vessels that supply nutrients and oxygen to the retina. This disease impacts both eyes and has the potential to lead to glaucoma.
If left untreated, retinopathy can lead to irreversible and progressive loss of vision. People between the ages of 20 and 60 have the chance of developing eye blindness. However, if diagnosed and treated early, doctors can prevent blindness. Visit the best eye hospital in Mumbai for world-class treatment for eye diseases related to diabetes, cataract, and more.
What are the symptoms of diabetic retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy harms your eyes without giving any prior indication. It is usually a silent disease that permanently damages the retina and overall vision before you notice the following symptoms:
- Frequent pain in the eye.
- Blurry vision that can’t be improved even with glasses.
- Eyesight that fluctuates, often it improves, and often it worsens.
- Sudden vision loss, maybe right after sneezing or coughing.
- Seeing a hole, spots, or cobwebs in your vision field.
What causes diabetic retinopathy?
The reason for diabetic retinopathy is the change in the blood vessels of the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the inner eye. In some patients with this eye disease, there can be swelling of the blood vessels and fluid leakage. Whereas sometimes, abnormal new blood vessels develop on the retinal surface, thereby resulting in severe wwTo treat your eye diseases related to glaucoma, visit the top glaucoma specialist in Mumbai at Arohi Eye Hospital.
What are the four stages of diabetic retinopathy?
There are mainly four stages of diabetic retinopathy and these are:
1. Mild nonproliferative retinopathy: It’s the early stage of the disease where tiny blood vessels change in the retina. The small areas in the retina swell. This condition is called microaneurysms. Fluids leak out of this place and enter the retina.
2. Moderate nonproliferative retinopathy: In the next stage, as the disease gets worse, the blood vessels responsible for keeping your retina healthy change shape and get swell. This damage prevents the vessels from supplying blood to the retina, thereby changing the looks of the retina.
3. Severe nonproliferative retinopathy: This is the third stage where plenty of blood vessels get blocked and are unable to deliver blood to the retina. Hence, the retinal health gets damaged. Also, areas, where this happens in the retina, make special proteins that are called growth factors and inform the retina to develop new blood vessels.
4. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy: In this most advanced stage, the new blood vessels that develop inside the retina turn into the jelly inside the eyeballs. Fragile new blood vessels mostly leak the liquid and bleed. Whereas scar tissues begin to develop, causing
How to treat diabetic retinopathy?
The treatment of this disease depends on various factors like your complete health history, eye health, eye exam reports, and so on. Retina treatment in Mumbai is done in the following way.
- Visual acuity test: It’s a common eye exam that determines the central vision ability at different distances.
- Pupil dilation: It’s a test that is done by widening the pupil with eye drops for getting a close-up view of the retina and the eye’s lens.
- Ophthalmoscopy: In this test, your eye specialist uses a special powerful magnifying glass to examine your retina very closely.
- Optical coherence tomography: This test is done by using light waves to make a thorough image of the retina.
- Tonometry: This standard test helps to check the internal eye pressure or intraocular pressure or IOP.
How to prevent diabetic retinopathy?
Prevention of diabetic retinopathy requires you to lower your blood sugar level and take good care of your overall health. These activities will eventually slow down the eye condition and might even stop it from worsening. However, some prevention tips for this eye disease are as follows:
- Visit your eye specialist for a complete eye checkup at least once a year.
- People with diabetes must get regular eye exams without fail.
- Diabetic pregnant women must have a thorough eye exam during the very first trimester.
- During pregnancy, follow up with your eye specialist regularly. Seek help from your doctor if you have developed gestational diabetes.
- Quit smoking if you have diabetes or have developed retinopathy.
Treat your diabetic retinopathy at the best eye hospital in Mumbai
Arohi Eye Hospital is the most renowned and the best eye hospital in Mumbai that has been helping innumerable patients cure various types of eye diseases for the past few years. We have expert eye doctors who have years of experience in handling and treating critical eye conditions. Also, our world-class infrastructure helps us provide the best possible treatment facilities to our patients irrespective of the eye diseases they might have. Get in touch with us today to feel the freedom of good vision.
Dr. Shradha Goel
Dr. Shradha Goel, Chief Surgeon at Arohi Eye Hospital, is a renowned Phaco-LASIK surgeon with over 10,000 surgeries to her credit. She earned her MBBS from Grant Medical College, Mumbai, and a Master’s in Ophthalmology from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal. As a member of the American Academy of Ophthalmology, Dr. Goel specialises in LASIK, refractive errors, and cataract treatments.