Retinopathy (also known as diabetic retinopathy) is an eye condition that damages the retina and can lead to blindness.
In this article:
What is retinopathy?
Diagnosis
Advice & Support
Symptoms
Effect on your life
Causes
Treatment
What is retinopathy?
Retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes.
The retina sits at the back of the eye and sends messages to your brain about what your eyes actually see. When the thin and fragile walls of tiny cells (capillaries) around the retina swell abnormally, become blocked and/or leak fluid, this can result in a gradual reduction of vision.
Symptoms
Symptoms of retinopathy include:
reduction of vision, where things gradually appear increasingly blurred
headaches and migraines
blindness
Causes
Causes of retinopathy include:
diabetes
very high blood pressure
high blood glucose levels
high cholesterol levels
being pregnant
In short, your retina has been starved of its required blood supply – due to the above causes – and this has a negative impact upon your vision.
Diagnosis
It is important to regularly have your eyes examined. If you do have retinopathy, having a routine eye test can highlight your condition and enable you to avail of appropriate treatment before your condition reaches an advanced stage.
Effect on your life
If you are suffering from retinopathy you will gradually experience a reduction in vision in (usually) both of your eyes. People and objects will appear blurred and you will struggle to see fine detail. This can impact upon your home life, at work, and in social situations.
As the condition progresses – if left untreated – you may lose your sight altogether. This is why it is vital that your eyes are checked as part of a routine screening process.
Treatment
If retinopathy is detected before it reaches an advanced stage, a laser procedure can be used to disperse any new blood vessel formations around the retina that, if left untreated, can lead to blindness. If laser treatment proves unsuccessful, a surgical procedure called a vitrectomy may be used – where jelly from the back of the eye is removed in an effort try to restore vision, or at least curtail the progression of the condition.
Advice & Support
Royal National Institute of Blind People
105 Judd Street
London
WC1H 9NE
Directions to Judd Street
Tel: 020 7388 1266
Website: www.rnib.org.uk
E-mail: [email protected]
This information and advice is not intended to replace the advice of your GP or chemist. Chemist Online is also not responsible or liable for any diagnosis made by a user based upon the content of the Chemist Online website. Chemist Online is also not liable for the contents of any external internet sites listed, nor does it endorse any commercial product or service mentioned or advised on any of the sites.
www.chemistonline.co.uk
—