How can diabetes affect the eye?

Diabetes can affect the eye in a number of ways. The most serious eye condition associated with diabetes involves the retina, and, more specifically, the network of blood vessels lying within it. The name of this condition is diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy is usually graded according to how severe it is. Background diabetic retinopathy is very common in people who have had diabetes for a long time. Your vision will be normal with no threat to your sight. At this stage the blood vessels in the retina are only very mildly affected. With time, if the background diabetic retinopathy becomes more severe, the macula area may become involved. This is called maculopathy. If this happens, your central vision will gradually get worse. Maculopathy is the main cause of loss of vision and may occur gradually but progressively. As the eye condition progresses, it can sometimes cause the blood vessels in the retina to become blocked.

If this happens then new blood vessels form in the eye. This is called proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Unfortunately, these new blood vessels are weak. They are also in the wrong place - growing on the surface of the retina and into the vitreous gel. As a result, these blood vessels can bleed very easily and cause scar tissue to form in the eye. Proliferative retinopathy is rarer than background retinopathy.

Although your vision may be good, changes can be taking place in your retina that needs treatment. Because most sight loss due to diabetes is preventable, remember that early diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy is vital, have an eye examination every year, do not wait until your vision has deteriorated to have an eye test.

Our practice is accredited to undertake Digital Diabetic Retinopathy Eye Screening for patients registered with a GP in the Staffordshire Health Authority area. Please contact us to make an appointment.