Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a medical condition in people with diabetes mellitus that leads to full blindness. This state develops at type I and type II diabetes because of the increased eye angiasthenia. In case of diabetes changes in the vessels begin to occur after 5-10 years from the beginning of the disease; more than 85% of patients suffer from retinopathy after 10-15 years. This state is dangerous because of a probable retinal bleeding, eye-ball bleeding or retinal edema leading to a significant loss of vision acuity and blindness.

Diagnostic of diabetic retinopathy

Patients who are on the initial stages of diabetic rethinopathy often don’t feel any changes in their eyes. They can periodically experience blurring of vision, see a blurry picture with floaters. Vision acuity decreases only in case of the significant changes of eye fundus.

We recommend to start visiting ophthalmologist not more than after 2-3 years from the moment when diabetes mellitus is diagnosed – this will help to prevent the disease and arrange proper treatment. The visit at ophthalmologist includes visual acuity check, measurement of intraocular pressure, ophthalmic fundus examination with Goldman lens and optical coherence tomography.

Shall no diabetic retinopathy be registered the next checkups are to be done at least once in a year. Shall any signs of the disease become evident visit your ophthalmologist once in six months or more often.

Treatment of diabetic retinopathy

We treat our patients with diabetic retinopathy in a complex manner while we work not only on the level of ophthalmologists but also other specialists.

1. Conservative therapy Conservative therapy (normalization of blood sugar level, blood pressure, cholesterol level and triglycerides). This helps to compensate diabetes mellitus and minimize any possible complications.
2. Intravitreous introduction of drugs In case of neovasculature events we use intravitreous introduction of drugs. It helps to reduce the quantity of such vessels thus reducing their fragility and possibility of hemorrhage.
3. Laser photocoagulation of the retina If there are hemorrhages in the retina we conduct laser photocoagulation of the retina which allows decreasing of the progression of diabetic retinopathy.
4. Elimination of “floaters” (opacity) Patients with diabetes mellitus often complain about floating opacities in the form of “flies”, strings or dots. We recommend laser vitreolysis to remove this effect.

Many years of our experience in ophthalmology let us perform assessment and effective treatment of patients with diabetes mellitus together with endocrinologists, diabetic foot specialists, neurologist, cardiologist, nephrologist.

In case of complicated forms of diabetes mellitus there is a growing risk of lower limb amputation. Therefore we recommend yearly appointments with doctors for patients having diabetes mellitus to assess risk of the development of diabetic foot and decrease the amputation risks. The doctor specializing on complications from the side of lower limbs of patients with diabetes mellitus is called podiatrist.

In case of diabetes mellitus high levels of blood sugar negatively affect nerve tissue in the whole body therefore it is very important to get assessment of the neurologists.

Also, if necessary, your endocrinologist will give you advice to visit nephrologyst and cardiologist to ensure a timely prevention of complications associated with heart and lungs.