Diabetic Eye Disease Assessment

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WHAT IS DIABETES

Diabetes Mellitus or simply Diabetes is a disease where the blood sugar ( glucose) is too high due to the inability of the body to produce/or use a hormone called insulin. Too much sugar in the blood can cause damage throughout the body including the eye. Diabetes takes more lives than AIDS and breast cancer combined. It is one of the leading causes of blindness, kidney failure, amputations, heart failure and stroke. India has the second highest number of people with diabetes in the world

HOW CAN DIABETES EFFECT THE EYE

Diabetes can affect the eye in many ways. The three major eye problems that people with diabetes may develop are retinopathy, cataract and glaucoma.

Diabetic Retinopathy:

  1. The most serious eye complication of diabetes is diabetic retinopathy. The retina is a light sensitive layer at the back of the eye. In diabetes the tiny blood vessels supplying the retina are damaged and leak fluid and blood into the surrounding retina. If the condition is not treated it will cause blindness. It is important to note that the longer a person has diabetes the more likely they will develop diabetic eye disease.
  2. Diabetes and Cataract: High blood sugar in diabetes can cause excess sugar accumulation in the normal clear lens within the eye. This leads to a chain off events which over time leads to or hastens the formation of cataract. Persons with diabetes have a five fold higher prevalence of cataract. The treatment is surgery. See here.
  3. Diabetes and Glaucoma: Persons with diabetes are at a risk of two major types of glaucoma, Primary Glaucoma and Neovascular Glaucoma. For more, see here.

CHECK UP IN DIABETIC EYE DISEASE

  1. Annual eye check-ups are very important to detect the disease early. It is recommended that a recent report of the blood sugar level should be bought at the time of eye examination.
  2. Women with diabetes who are pregnant or who plan to get pregnant should consult an eye doctor.
  3. Diabetic persons with blurred vision, floating spots or unusual eye pain should also have an eye check-up.

FACILITIES AT POORVA EYE CARE FOR TREATMENT OF DIABETIC EYE DISEASE

  1. Total Eye Check-up with special emphasis on evaluation of the retina and the eye pressure. A thorough indirect ophthalmoscopy after full dilation and slit lamp biomicroscopy with 78D and 90D lens will reveal early eye changes in diabetes.
  2. OCT examination for evaluation of the retina.
  3. Intravitreal injections of Anti < drugs or corticosteroids for treatment of fluid accumulation in the retina.
  4. Laser therapy to stop leakage of blood and fluid into the retina from the damaged blood vessels.
  5. Persons with diabetic retinopathy can suffer significant vision loss. Special low vision devices such as hand held magnifiers can be prescribed to make the most of the remaining vision.