A disease in which small blood vessels are damaged due elevated blood sugar over a prolonged period of time.
Risk factors for Diabetic Retinopathy
- Longer duration and poor control of diabetes
- Hypertension, kidney diseases
- Pregnancy (associated with rapid disease progression)
- High Body mass index (BMI), sedentary lifestyle
- Smoking and alcohol use
Clinical features
- Patients can present either with a sudden painless loss of vision or gradual and progressive loss of vision. It may also be discovered on routine examination
Investigations
- Conduct a thorough eye examination
- Other investigations: fundus photography, optical coherence tomography, fluorescein angiography
MANAGEMENT
Involves any or a combination of:
- pan retinal photocoagulation (PRP)
- Anti-Vascular Endothelial growth factor (VEGF) eye injections
- Posterior Vitrectomy
- Low vision rehabilitation
Prevention
- Control of diabetes and other risk factors