How it happens

High blood sugar levels over time can damage the tiny blood vessels in the retina. These vessels may:

• Leak fluid or blood
• Become blocked
• Grow abnormally (new fragile vessels that bleed easily)

Symptoms

Early diabetic retinopathy often causes no symptoms. As it progresses, symptoms may include:

• Blurred vision
• Floaters (spots or strings drifting in your vision)
• Dark or empty areas in vision
• Difficulty seeing at night
• Sudden vision loss

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease caused by damage to the blood vessels in the retina (the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye) due to diabetes. It is one of the most common complications of Diabetes Mellitus and can lead to vision loss or blindness if not detected and treated.

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease caused by damage to the blood vessels in the retina from diabetes. While it is primarily a vision condition, it can also have important mental and psychological effects.

Some mental health risks associated with diabetic retinopathy include:

• Depression: Vision loss or fear of losing vision can lead to sadness, hopelessness, and clinical depression.
• Anxiety: Concerns about worsening eyesight, treatment procedures, loss of independence, or future disability can cause significant anxiety.
• Stress: Managing both diabetes and an eye condition can increase daily stress and emotional burden.
• Reduced quality of life: Difficulty reading, driving, working, or participating in hobbies may lead to frustration and decreased life satisfaction.

Anti-VEGF Injections

For diabetic macular edema and many cases of advanced diabetic retinopathy, medications are injected into the eye to reduce abnormal blood vessel growth and leakage.

Common medications include:

• Aflibercept
• Ranibizumab
• Bevacizumab

These treatments often require repeated injections over months or years.

Treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy depends on how advanced it is and whether it has caused swelling of the retina (macular edema). The goals are to prevent vision loss, preserve existing vision, and in some cases improve vision.

1. Control of Diabetes and Related Risk Factors

For all stages of diabetic retinopathy, improving overall health can slow progression:

• Keep blood glucose levels as close to target as possible.
• Control blood pressure.
• Manage cholesterol and triglycerides.
• Avoid smoking.
• Follow regular eye screening schedules.

These measures help reduce the risk of worsening retinal damage.