Diabetic Retinopathy – Symptoms and Causes
Health Concerns
Diabetes damages blood vessels in the retina, causing diabetic retinopathy. This condition often starts with few or no symptoms but can eventually lead to vision loss or blindness if untreated.
This eye condition affects people with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes. Your risk increases with longer diabetes duration and poorly controlled blood sugar levels.
Several healthcare approaches are available for managing diabetic retinopathy:
- Regular eye screenings to detect early changes.
- Blood sugar management to slow disease progression.
- Laser treatments to seal leaking blood vessels.
- Injectable medications to reduce abnormal blood vessel growth.
- Surgical options for advanced cases.
Signs and Vision Changes
As diabetic eye disease begins, you may not notice any changes. Later, these signs may appear:
- Floating spots or strings in your vision
- Unclear or fuzzy sight
- Vision that changes throughout the day
- Black or empty spots in your field of view
- Loss of vision
When to Contact an Eye Specialist
The best defense against vision loss is managing your diabetes carefully. If you have diabetes, you should get a dilated eye exam every year, even if your eyes seem healthy.
Pregnancy can make diabetic eye problems worse. This includes both gestational diabetes (which starts during pregnancy) and pre-existing diabetes. Pregnant women with diabetes may need more frequent eye checkups.
Don’t wait to call your eye doctor if you notice sudden vision changes or if your sight becomes blurry, spotty, or hazy.
Additional Information
- Eye exams can catch problems early, before they cause vision loss
- Regular blood sugar control helps protect your eyes over time
Why Vision Problems Happen
Diabetes can harm your eyes when blood sugar stays high for a long time. This extra sugar blocks tiny blood vessels that feed the retina, cutting off its blood supply.
Your eye tries to fix this by growing new blood vessels, but these new ones are weak and leak easily.
There are two main types of this eye problem. The first type happens earlier and is more common. The walls of blood vessels in your retina get weak.
Small bulges form on these walls and may leak blood and fluid into the retina. The larger blood vessels can also stretch and become uneven.
As more blood vessels get blocked, this condition gets worse. Sometimes fluid builds up in the center part of the retina called the macula. If this affects your vision, you need treatment to prevent permanent damage.
The second type is more serious. The damaged blood vessels close off completely, so new, abnormal blood vessels grow in the retina. These new vessels are fragile and can leak into the jelly-like substance in your eye.
Over time, scar tissue can form from these new blood vessels. This may pull the retina away from the back of your eye. The new blood vessels can also block the normal flow of fluid out of your eye.
This builds pressure in your eyeball and can damage the nerve that sends images to your brain.
More Details To Know
- People with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes can develop eye problems
- The longer you have diabetes, the higher your risk
- Poor blood sugar control makes eye damage more likely
- High blood pressure and high cholesterol increase the risk
- Pregnancy can sometimes make eye problems worse in women with diabetes
- Smoking damages blood vessels and raises your risk
- Some ethnic groups have higher risk, including Hispanic, African American, and Native American people
Risk Factors
Several factors increase the chance of developing diabetic retinopathy:
- Long duration of having diabetes
- Poor blood sugar control
- High blood pressure
- High cholesterol levels
- Pregnancy
- Tobacco use
- Race/ethnicity
Anyone with diabetes can develop this eye condition, but careful management of these risk factors may help reduce the likelihood of complications.
Problems That Can Happen
Diabetic retinopathy causes abnormal blood vessels to grow in the eye’s retina. This can lead to several serious vision issues.
Bleeding in the Eye
When new blood vessels break, they can leak blood into the clear gel that fills your eye. Small bleeds might just cause a few dark spots in your vision. Larger bleeds can block vision completely.
The good news is that this blood often clears up in a few weeks or months, and vision usually returns if the retina isn’t damaged.
Retina Pulling Away
The abnormal blood vessels can create scar tissue that pulls on the retina. This can separate the retina from the back of the eye. Signs include:
- Floating spots in your vision
- Flashes of light
- Severe vision loss
Eye Pressure Problems
New blood vessels growing in the front part of the eye can block fluid drainage. This builds pressure inside the eye and can damage the optic nerve that connects your eye to your brain.
Loss of Vision
Without proper treatment, these eye conditions can cause complete blindness. The risk is higher when these problems aren’t managed well.
Ways to Protect Your Eyes
Managing diabetes carefully is key to preventing eye damage. While you can’t always stop diabetic retinopathy, you can take steps to reduce your risk and protect your vision.
Tips for Eye Health
People with diabetes can lower their risk of eye problems by:
Managing Diabetes Daily: Eat healthy foods and stay active. Aim for at least 150 minutes of walking or similar exercise each week. Take medications as prescribed.
Checking Blood Sugar Regularly: Monitor your levels as often as your doctor recommends. This is especially important during illness or stress.
Getting A1C Tests: This blood test shows your average blood sugar over 2-3 months. Most people with diabetes should aim for an A1C below 7%.
Controlling Blood Pressure and Cholesterol: Healthy eating, regular exercise, and maintaining a healthy weight help. Some people may need medication too.
Quitting Tobacco: If you smoke or use tobacco products, ask for help to quit. Tobacco increases the risk of diabetes complications.
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Acting Quickly on Vision Changes: If your vision becomes blurry, spotty, or hazy, contact your eye doctor right away.
