WHAT IS DIABETIC RETINOPATHY (DR)?
Diabetic eye disease is damage to the retina that can occur from having diabetes mellitus. DR is the most common cause of vision loss in the working age population of the United States.
WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY?
Blurry vision, distorted vision, difficulty reading, flashes of light and floaters. In some cases total loss of vision may occur.
HOW DOES DIABETES CAUSE VISION LOSS?
Diabetic eye disease causes swelling of the retina (diabetic macular edema), bleeding in the retina (vitreous hemorrhage) and sometimes detachment of the retina (retinal detachment).
WHAT ARE THE TREATMENTS FOR DIABETIC RETINOPATHY?
Treatments include lifestyle modifications such as tight blood sugar and blood pressure control in conjunction with office treatments and sometimes surgery.
