Diabetic Retinopathy: Symptoms and Causes

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Here are some statistics about Diabetic Retinopathy that you need to know:

When Type 2 diabetics are first diagnosed, as many as 21% of them already have retinopathy.
After dealing with Type 1 diabetes for around 20 years, the majority of patients will have signs of retinopathy.
Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in Diabetic individuals.
In 8% of the cases of legal blindness, in the United States, diabetes is the cause.
12 to 24 thousand lose their vision, each year, due to diabetes.

As these facts show, diabetic retinopathy is not something that should be taken lightly, or ignored as individuals with diabetes have a high risk of developing this disease.

The root cause of Retinopathy

When blood glucose levels are too high in the body, they wreck havoc. The sugars can damage the nerves, heart, kidneys, and in this case, the eyes. If the capillaries in the eyes are attacked by the sugars, diabetic retinopathy is the possible result.

The Course of Retinopathy and its Symptoms

There are two stages, of retinopathy, Non-proliferative and Proliferative. In the early stages of Non-proliferate retinopathy, there are usually no symptoms, or pain. Micro aneurysms begin to develop in the retina. They eventually block blood flow to the retina. The blood deprived retina then sends messages asking the body to grow more vessels to continue its nourishment. During these periods, the patient may not notice any obvious symptoms; there usually isn't any pain. When the eyes enter the second stage of retinopathy, it's now called Proliferative Retinopathy. As the eyes signal the body for much needed blood, the body responds by growing additional blood vessels. However, there's a problem with the new vessels. They grow abnormally along the surface of the eye. Due to their fragility, they begin to leak the blood into the eye. Additional complications may result, from this abnormal growth, such as Vitreous hemorrhage, Neovascular glaucoma, or Traction retinal detachment. It's at this time that the patient may begin to have symptoms of retinopathy. They may include the following:

Cobwebs or floaters in their vision.
Poor vision during the night, possibly when driving.
Streaks, red blotches, or blank spots in the normal line of sight.
May experience problems adjusting to light changes.

Some of these symptoms may be due to macular edema, which may occur during any of the stages of retinopathy. If untreated, the retinopathy will cause vision difficulties and may eventually result in blindness. For this reason, it's vital to receive an eye exam, including pupil dilation, each year. In addition to your yearly eye exam, Diamaxol can help to control your blood sugar levels. Preventive care will decrease your chances of developing diabetic retinopathy and increase your odds of retaining clear vision.

Sources:

http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/eye-complications.jsp

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001212.htm

http://www.diabetes.org/diabetes-statistics/eye-complications.jsp