Diabetic retinopathy is a retinal condition caused by damage to the blood vessels in the tissue at the back of the eye (retina). Poorly controlled blood sugar is a risk factor.
Treatment may help slow the progress of diabetic retinopathy. Your exact treatment plan depends on your condition. It may include frequent exams to monitor your condition, laser treatment, and other procedures.
- Monitoring Your Vision:
At first, your doctor may simply want to monitor your vision. - In some cases, your ophtalmologiste may perform an angiogram. This test uses a special dye to create detailed images of the retina. These images help your doctor decide whether you need special treatments
- Ocular coherence tomography (OCT) testing uses light waves to see if there is fluid leaking into certain parts of the eye. It can also measure the thickness of the retina.
Special treatments can help stop bleeding, slow or stop new vessel growth, and preserve vision. The type of treatment you get depends on your condition:
- Laser treatment can help stop leaks and limit abnormal vessel growth.
- Surgery can remove the vitreous or repair a retina that is damaged by scar tissue formation. It may help if the vitreous (retina) becomes filled with blood and obscures your vision.
- Cryotherapy shrinks blood vessels and repairs the retina.
- Medications injected in the eye can help decrease swelling of the retina or slow the abnormal growth of blood vessels.