Diabetic Retinopathy is the eye disease that is a complication of systemic Diabetic Mellitus.
While many patients with diabetes believe that the principle problem is an inability to effectively use glucose, the effects of diabetes are more extensive and really effect many organs and tissues throughout the body.
Diabetes is actually characterized as a disease that damages the blood vessels throughout the body and impairs the normal circulation of blood in the body.
It is quite common for patients with diabetes to experience difficulty with the circulation in their legs, kidneys, heart, brain and eyes-especially the very small blood vessels of the eye found in the retina.
When diabetes causes damage to the small blood vessels in the retina, it is called Diabetic Retinopathy.
Diabetic Macular Edema
Normally, the blood vessels in the retina are well lined and do not leak.
One of the earliest effects of diabetes is to cause the blood vessels to begin to leak by weakening the inner lining of the blood vessels so that they become porous.
Leakage from the retinal blood vessels causes the center of the retina to actually swell, a condition called diabetic macular edema.
As this swelling usually occurs in the macula, or the area responsible for central vision, macular edema results in vision loss of varying degrees. The most effective way to observe and make a proper diagnosis of macular edema is perform an Intravenous Fluorescein Angiogram (IVF).
The Intravenous Fluorescein Angiogram is performed in the office at D’Ambrosio Eye Care by first injecting a special fluorescent dye into a vein in the patients’ arm and then taking a series of photographs of the retina as the dye circulates throughout its blood vessels.
In this way it is possible to accurately and directly observe the circulation and the integrity of the blood vessels in the retina.
This diagnostic test allows the eye physician to assess the severity and location of “leaky” blood vessels.
It is important that leaking blood vessels be found as early as possible so that they can be most effectively sealed with a laser treatment.
In most cases, early laser treatment will reduce the swelling and prevent further vision loss.
In some cases, patients can have macular edema but still maintain normal vision.
However, any diagnosis of macular edema is an indication that breakdown of the retinal blood vessels from diabetes is starting to occur and requires careful monitoring.
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