common eye conditions

Diabetic Retinopathy & Macular Edema

What is it?

Diabetic retinopathy and macular edema are vision threatening complications of diabetes.

Diabetic retinopathy generally develops and worsens in an orderly progression. Early detection allows treatment which can prevent the complications of vision loss.

Vision is damaged when the blood vessel changes of diabetes affect the vessels in the retina and lead to macular edema (swelling in the central part of the retina responsible for sharp vision), when there is hemorrhage of blood into the eye, or when the development of scar tissue in the eye causes retinal detachment.

Detection

Detected and treated early, the changes to the retina associated with diabetes are very treatable and vision loss preventable. If you are a diabetic, you must have the repeated periodic eye exams as recommended by your primary care doctor and ophthalmologist or optometrist.

Treatment

Treatments to prevent vision loss include better blood sugar control, laser surgery, and the use of medications—anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) medications and steroids—injected into the eye. Retinal surgery may be required for hemorrhage into the eye or for retinal detachment.