DIABETES-RELATED EYE DISEASE
Diabetes is a chronic illness that arises from the body's inability to secrete or use a hormone called insulin to manage blood glucose (sugar) levels. Too much sugar in the blood damages the heart, lungs and tiny blood vessels in the eye.
Diabetic retinopathy, macular oedema, cataract and glaucoma are the most common types of diabetic-related eye disease.
What are the symptoms of diabetic-related eye disease?
When blood sugar levels rise quickly, the shape of the eye lens changes. The patient’s vision returns as soon as blood sugar levels stabilise.
Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy are:
- Vision loss
- Warped vision
- Floaters (shapes obscuring vision)
- Blurry vision
- Red eyes
- Eye pain
What are the causes of diabetic-related eye disease?
Unmanaged or undiagnosed diabetes is the primary cause of diabetic-related eye disease. Macular oedema, another diabetes-related illness, happens when blood vessels in the retina begin to leak. The repercussions of diabetic-related eye disease are severe. If left untreated diabetic eye disease and macular oedema can lead to permanent blindness.
How do you diagnose diabetic-related eye disease?
Diabetic persons are required to undergo regular yearly eye screenings for diabetic eye disease. Slit-lamp screening, photographs and retinal assessment tests are necessary to detect any damage to the eyes and prevent permanent blindness as a result of unmanaged diabetes.
How do you treat diabetic-related eye disease?
Managing the effects of diabetes is the first stage of treatment. Taking medications to control diabetes and attending eye screenings reduce the risk of vision loss. It helps to maintain a healthy weight, exercise regularly and eat healthily to prevent complications of diabetes.
Anti-VEGF medication injections, laser and the surgical removal of bleeding or scar tissue are ways to treat diabetic-related eye disease such as diabetic retinopathy.
Laser treatment is a quick 5 to 15-minute procedure that focuses energy onto the retina to restore eyesight or prevent further vision loss. Local anaesthesia administered beforehand prevents pain, but a pricking sensation is to be expected.
To administer anti-VEGF medications, Dr McClunan uses a special anaesthetic regimen and uses a speculum to keep the eyelids open before he guides a needle into the eyeball with minimal sensation.
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"There was never a shadow of doubt in my mind that I had chosen the right specialist. I can honestly say my eyesight can now be compared with that of a teenager. For those of you, regardless of your age, that need any sort of eye treatment, I have no hesitation in saying - look no further."
- John Wittstock, Cataract