Diabetic Retinopathy    

What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

• It is a condition that is a result of a diabetic person's blood sugar being too high.  High blood sugar levels start a series of events which end in damaged blood vessel walls.  As such, the blood vessels begin to leak fluid or bleed, causing the retina to swell and form deposits known as exudates.  Vision can be lost if these spots are not watched and treated.  Here, at our office, we carefully examine the back of your eyes to follow and manage this and other important eye diseases.

Diabetic Retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease & is a leading cause of blindness in American Adults.

Risk Factors of Diabetic Retinopathy:

• 1. All people with Diabetes - both type 1 and 2
• 2. The longer someone has had diabetes = the greater risk
• 3. Between 40 & 45 percent of Americans who are diagnosed with Diabetes have some stage of diabetic retinopathy.
• As you can see in the pictures on the right, The first picture is shown through the eyes of a person with normal vision.  The second photograph is portrayed through the eyes of someone with Diabetic Retinopathy.