Warning Signs! Diabetic Retinopathy. Did you know that… Diabetic Retinopathy or Diabetic Retinopathy is a common complication in diabetic patients, which affects the retina, causing the blood vessels in the retina to degenerate, causing blood and substances to leak out of the blood vessels, resulting in poor vision and, in the long term, leading to permanent vision loss.

Causes of diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is caused by prolonged high blood sugar levels that damage the tiny blood vessels in the retina, causing them to leak blood or other substances out. Over time, this damage can lead to more serious vision problems.

Diabetic retinopathy is divided into two main stages:

• Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR) In this stage, the blood vessels in the retina begin to malfunction and may leak blood and substances out of the blood vessels, but no new blood vessels have formed.
• Severe stage (Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy – PDR) In this stage, the ยูฟ่าเบท https://ufabet999.app body creates new blood vessels in the retina to compensate, but these blood vessels are weak and prone to rupture and bleeding into the vitreous humor.

Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy

• No symptoms
• Blurred vision, blurry images
• See a dark shadow, cobwebs
• Distorted image
• Loss of vision

Who is at risk for this disease? People at risk for diabetic retinopathy include:

• All diabetic patients, especially those with poor blood sugar control
• Pregnant women with gestational diabetes
• Diabetic patients with long-term diabetes
• Diabetic patients with other diseases such as high blood pressure

Prevention and treatment of diabetes

• Blood Sugar Control Maintaining a stable blood sugar level is the most important way to prevent diabetic retinopathy.
• Control other comorbidities such as hypertension.
• Regular eye exams. Diabetics should have their eyes examined at least once a year to check for changes in the retina.
• Laser treatment to reduce the formation of new blood vessels
• Injection of medication into the vitreous humor to treat diabetic retinopathy or macular degeneration
• Retinal surgery If diabetic retinopathy is severe, retinal surgery may be required.

Diabetic retinopathy is a serious disease that can be prevented and treated. If you have diabetes, keeping your blood sugar levels under control and getting regular diabetic retinopathy screenings are important to help prevent your vision from losing its sight. Control your diabetes, take care of your eye exams, and your vision will be bright forever.

Article by Dr. Phawinee Amornphanthang, Specialist in Ophthalmology, World Medical Hospital.