Causes of Diabetic Retinopathy

In the past half century, there have been many incredible advances in the field of ophthalmology, with a number of conditions now becoming curable through outpatient procedures such as LASIK and placement of implantable contact lenses (ICL). Unfortunately, diabetic retinopathy remains incurable. However, it is treatable — and preventable. In order to detect and prevent diabetic retinopathy, it is important that diabetes patients understand the causes of the disease, as well as any additional risks to the health of their eyes.

Diabetes and Your Vision

For people with diabetes, high blood sugar is a serious health problem. Because diabetics are unable to adequately absorb and process sugar, too much blood sugar can lead to kidney, heart, nerve, and eye damage.

Diabetic retinopathy occurs when the tiny blood vessels, known as capillaries, within the retina are damaged. In patients with non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), the walls of the capillaries weaken and develop microaneurysms, or tiny bulges protruding from the blood vessels. Eventually these microaneurysms begin to leak blood and fluid into the retina, causing vision loss.

In patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), not only are there progressively more microaneurysms, but new, abnormal capillaries begin to develop within the retina. As these blood vessels spread throughout the retina, they often begin to grow into the jelly-like substance (vitreous) that fills the center of the eye. Ultimately, this abnormal growth causes the capillaries to shut down, leading to vision loss and, in some cases, retinal detachment.

In addition to diabetic retinopathy, there are two other eye diseases associated with diabetes: cataracts and glaucoma. These conditions are also treatable and preventable, but require comprehensive eye care.

Do all diabetes patients develop diabetic retinopathy?

Both type I and II diabetes patients are at a very high risk of developing diabetic retinopathy. How much the disease progresses and spreads is in almost direct correlation to how long the patient has had diabetes and how long they have gone without consistent eye examinations.

Diabetes is currently the number one cause of new cases of blindness in the United States; serious complications from diabetic retinopathy affect approximately 24,000 new people each year. However, studies also show that given adequate preventative measures and the right diabetic retinopathy treatment plan, severe vision loss can be reduced by as much as 94 percent. So while all diabetes patients are at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, not all of them are destined for blindness. Undergoing yearly eye exams and tests for diabetic retinopathy diagnosis are crucial steps to preventing total vision loss.

Additional Risk Factors for Developing Diabetic Retinopathy

In addition to diabetes, there are several other risk factors that can contribute to developing diabetic retinopathy. The primary risk is poorly controlled blood sugar levels, which catalyze the formation of microaneurysms in the retinal capillaries. However, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and pregnancy can all place a patient at greater risk of suffering from the eye disease. Also, studies have shown that diabetes patients of Hispanic or African-American descent are also at an increased risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.

Contact a Doctor for More Information on Diabetic Retinopathy

Researchers estimate that only half of all diabetes patients in the United States have regular yearly eye examinations. In order to prevent and slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy, seeing a highly skilled ophthalmologist is crucial. To facilitate your search for the right doctor, DocShop provides a directory of experienced eye care specialists in your community. DocShop can also help answer some of the most important questions on diabetic retinopathy.