Diabetic Retinopathy
By: Tania IvanovichTotal Views: 273, Word Count: 578,
The terminology, diabetic retinopathy is employed for the disease of retina which is caused due to the damage of capillaries, affecting the circulatory system of retina. Retina functions as a messenger of visual signals to the brain. The increase in the blood sugar for more than ten years can result in a stage of blurred vision and damage in the eyesight. The American Diabetes Association statistics state that 8% of legal eye blindness cases are the direct result of diabetes.
Casual symptoms of retinopathy are as follows:
- Difficulty in seeing at night
- Formation of floaters
- Facing difficulty in reading and doing work involving close analysis by the eyesight
- Blurred vision, double images
- Formation of streaks and blockages in the vision
- Collection of fluid in the most light sensitive area of retina, macula.
Development in the stages of retinopathy:
- Background diabetic retinopathy: This is the early development in the disease of retinopathy resulting from the leakage in the capillaries of retina forming small dots and swelling in the retina which is medically termed as edema.
- Non-proliferative retinopathy: The blockage in the vessels of retina leads to the damage of the thin walls of the capillaries which supply blood to the retina.
- Proliferative Diabetic retinopathy: This is the advanced stage after the non-proliferative retinopathy which leads to the growth of abnormal and damaged blood vessels in retina which are connected to the vitreous gel that fills the eye.
Diagnosis of retinopathy: The eye check up is inclusive of the following methods:
- Visual acuity test: This is inclusive of an eye chart used to test the competence of the vision of the patient.
- Pupil dilation: Drops of a liquid are poured inside the eye to widen the pupil which aids the doctor to completely examine the retina.
- Opthalomoscopy: A special devise is employed to look through the retina of the patient with a magnifying glass.
- Optical coherence tomography: This is a form of ultrasound of eyes with the aid of interference technique. It helps the doctor to analyze the cross sectional area of the retina.
Treatment of diabetic retinopathy:
- Focal laser treatment: This treatment helps to prevent the leakage from the vessels in retina by sealing the pores with the aid of laser burns. The whole procedure takes a single day followed by a blurred vision for a day or two.
- Scatter laser treatment: Medically termed as pan retinal photocoagulation, this treatment aids in compressing or shrinking the abnormal capillaries in retina. The area except macula is treated with scattered rays of laser. This comprises two or more sessions.
- Vitrectomy: This method aids in removing blood from the center of the eye. By making a standard incision in the eye, the doctor removes the unwanted blood tissues and pours a sodium solution into the eye.
The above mentioned diseases are the aftereffects of long term uncontrolled and fluctuating diabetes. If the diabetes is maintained in the early stages with the aid of a self help guide and a physicians advice, than the chances of retinopathy are visibly decreased.
About the Author
Tania Ivanovich is a physician working in a health organization for the benefit of patients of diabetes. She is currently researching on the efficacy of natural methods in preventing the case of retinopathy in the patients of diabetes. She proposes to establish a balanced relationship between medication and exercise which is helpful in maintaining diabetes fluctuations. Drawn from her methodology a new book had been launched in the market.
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