Diabetic Eye Disease

Diabetic Retinopathy and Diabetic Macular Edema

Diabetes is a disease that is caused by chronically elevated blood sugars and it affects many areas of our body through damage of the small blood vessels that help supply blood, nutrients, and oxygen to different organs.  While diabetes can be silent for many years, the eyes are one of the first organs where damage can show up. Depending on the type of diabetes, the severity, and the duration of time with the disease, diabetic eye disease can show up in different stages of your life.  It’s very important that all patients with diabetes get an eye exam to see if there are any signs of damage or manifestations of diabetes.

Ultimately, good blood sugar and blood pressure control in consultation with your primary care physician or endocrinologist is crucial to maintaining the health of your eyes and your body.  Regular eye checks, especially if you are having vision changes, can help us along with your primary care physician, come up with a good treatment plan to give you the best chance to prevent any damage or treat any retinopathy that has already occurred.

There are several types of diabetic eye disease:

1. Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy

   1. Mild

   2. Moderate

   3. Severe

1. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy

   1. Neovascularization

   2. Vitreous hemorrhage

   3. Tractional Retinal Detachment

Treatments: Various combination of medical control, laser, injections of medications or surgery.  However, the best outcomes come through prevention and early detection so it’s important to get your eyes evaluated.  Here at San Gabriel Retina, we are specialize in the evaluation, counseling, and treatment of diabetic eye disease from the mildest forms to severe diabetic eye disease.

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