Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy can weaken and cause changes in the small blood vessels of the retina, which is the light sensitive lining of the back of the eye. These blood vessels may begin to leak, swell, or form fragile new branches. In few cases, the early stages of diabetic retinopathy may cause blurred vision but mostly produce no visual signs at all. As the disease progresses, one may notice a cloudiness of vision, blind spots, or floaters in their vision. Visual signs and symptoms may not correlate with the stage of advancement of the disease.

If diabetic reinopathy is left untreated, it can cause blindness, which is one of many reasons why it is important to have your eyes examined regularly. Those especially at risk are individuals that are diabetic or those who have a family history of diabetes.

To detect diabetic retinopathy, it is very important to have a yearly dilated eye examination. Our high resolution digital photography technology can be very helpful in examining small blood vessels in your eyes with enhanced accuracy.  We use a Cannon high resolution digital camera to take retinal pictures of our patient's eyes at every examination.  If you have diabetic retinopathy, laser and other surgical treatments can be used to reduce its progression and decrease the risk of vision loss. Early treatment is important because once damage has occurred, the effects are usually permanent.

For Diabetics:

If you are a diabetic, you can help prevent diabetic retinopathy by taking your prescribed medication as instructed, sticking to your diet, exercising regularly, controlling high blood pressure and avoiding alcohol and smoking.

Dr. Youn is a member of Michigan Council on Diabetes.