Dr. Elvira, a specialist at the Oftalvist ophthalmology clinic, explains the importance of early detection of diabetic retinopathy, a pathology that causes symptoms such as visual loss or eye pain, among others.
Diabetic retinopathy is a vasculopathy caused by the damage that diabetes mellitus causes to capillaries and blood vessels. Its consequences are very diverse, although the most common ones are, on the one hand, alterations in the permeability of retinal vessels, and on the other hand, a deficit in blood supply or ischemia in focal areas of the retina or globally in the entire retina. Poor vascularization causes tissue damage, and vascular growth factors are released, which can ultimately lead to retinal, vitreous or preretinal hemorrhages. More severe or very advanced cases may result in retinal rupture or blindness, respectively.
Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy
We can locate or suspect the presence of diabetic retinopathy if we have some of the following symptoms:
1. visual blurring or visual loss
2. Myodesopia (also known as “floaters”).
3. Combination of the two above
4. Ocular pain
For the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, we have two methods. The most common, optical coherence tomography (OCT), which allows us to assess the state of the macula of patients, and fluorescein angiography to study macular ischemia.
Treatment of diabetic retinopathy
We currently have several types of treatment available to combat diabetic retinopathy:
Panretino-laser photocoagulation 2.
2. Focal laser photocoagulation-grid
3. Antingiogenic drugs
4. Intravitreal corticoids
5. Vitreoretinal surgery
It should be noted that the most severe cases may not achieve good vision even in the presence of good surgery and a good anatomical result. Hence the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.