Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetes (diabetes mellitus) is a common disease in which blood-sugar levels are
chronically too high. The disease has many related complications, and
several eye diseases among them. The most common eye complication of
diabetes is diabetic retinopathy, a leading cause of adult blindness.
Diabetic retinopathy occurs when high blood-sugar
levels affect the functionality of blood vessels in the retina
(light-sensing cells in the eye). In early phases of the disease,
capillaries will leak blood or fluid. This can cause swelling in the
retina (which may result in blurring of central vision), and it can
leak into the vitreous humor (the fluid surrounding the retina) causing
floaters or obscuring vision.
During the beginning stage serious vision damage is
less likely, however, it can lead to a more advanced stage of the
disease, called proliferative diabetic retinopathy. In this form,
blood vessels in the retina actually close off. New blood vessels grow
to make up for the lack of blood flow to the retina. The new blood
vessels unfortunately are accompanied by scarring and more leakage.
This can lead to serious vision loss and blindness.
Early symptoms of diabetic retinopathy may include:
The condition can typically be diagnosed by an
ophthalmologist during an eye exam, long before noticeable vision
symptoms occur and when more treatment options are still available.
Thus it is very important for those suffering from diabetes to have
regular eye exams, to monitor for diabetic retinopathy and other
complications.
Treatment:
Treatments for diabetic retinopathy vary based upon
the nature and progression of the condition. The best way to preserve
good vision is to vigilantly control blood-sugar levels, lessening the
chance of retinopathy, and impeding its rate of advancement.
Once the disease is in advanced stages, the
ophthalmologist may choose a type of laser surgery, called pan-retinal
photocoagulation. This technique burns many tiny dots across the
retina, with the aim of sealing off leaky blood vessels and
discouraging further blood vessel growth. This surgery does not cure
diabetic retinopathy, but it can help to save remaining vision.
If the vitreous humor has become clouded by blood
leakage, there is a chance it may be naturally purged by the eye. If
clouding persists, however, a vitrectomy, a surgical removal of the
vitreous humor, may be necessary. The ophthalmologist replaces it with
a saline solution, and the eye naturally replenishes the vitreous fluid
over time. This procedure can restore vision that has been obscured in
the vitreous, however, any vision loss due to retinal damage or
detachment is not restored.
If you have diabetes or are
experiencing any symptoms of diabetic retinopathy, we encourage you to
contact us today to schedule a consultation.
In addition to providing highly effective treatments for patients suffering from diabetic retinopathy, Dr. Casey also specializes in performing laser eye surgery, such as LASEK, PRK and LASIK in Las Vegas. He is also renowned as an experienced cataracts Las Vegas specialist who uses sophisticated lens implants, such as ReStor, ReZoom and Tecnis, to replace patients’ clouded lenses. Other vision correction procedures offered by Dr. Casey include implantation of Visian ICLs and near vision CK surgery.
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