Diabetic Retinopathy

Introduction: Diabetic Retinopathy

Retinal eye problems are the more serious eye problem for diabetics. In fact, retinopathy is so common in diabetics that it has its own name: either "diabetic retinopathy" or the worst form "proliferative diabetic retinopathy" (PDR). These are a long-term side effect of diabetes, particularly from long-term high blood sugars, but can also be present at diagnosis, especially for Type 2 diabetes. Retinopathy risks increase the longer you have had diabetes, and are thus uncommon in temporary conditions like gestational diabetes.

Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy

• Blurred vision
• Flashes
• Floaters
• Retinal bleeding
• Vision impairment

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Medical Textbooks Online about Diabetic Retinopathy

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Diagnostic Tests for Diabetic Retinopathy

• Ordinary doctor eye exam - not fully adequate; may not detect non-advanced cases.
• Dilated eye exam - best performed by eye specialist
• Eye test (vision test) - not useful; only detects very advanced cases of retinopathy.
• Dye test (fluorescein angiogram) - This is a special eye that that shows retinal circulation.
• Amsler grid - A special test that helps you identify what parts of your visual field are damaged.

See full list of 9 diagnostic tests for Diabetic Retinopathy

Wrongly Diagnosed with Diabetic Retinopathy?

• Misdiagnosis of Diabetic Retinopathy
• Failure to diagnose Diabetic Retinopathy
• Underlying causes of Diabetic Retinopathy (possibly wrongly diagnosed)
• Failure to diagnose Diabetic Retinopathy

In-Depth Reports: Diagnosis and Misdiagnosis

Diabetes diagnosis and misdiagnosis (In-Depth Report): Although diabetes diagnosis is well-known to physicians, and a diabetes diagnosis is unlikely to be wholly incorrect, there are still some rare subtypes and less common diagnostic issues to consider. See also misdiagnosis of diabetes and Diabetes Diagnosis Report....read full report »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Diabetic Retinopathy

Misdiagnosis and Diabetic Retinopathy

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Causes of Diabetic Retinopathy

• Diabetes
• Type 1 Diabetes
• Type 2 Diabetes
• High cholesterol - cholesterol can exacerbate retinopathy and further damage in the small blood vessels of the eye, just as cholesterol can cause hardening of larger artery blood vessels.
• Pregnancy - can exacerbate existing retinopathy though probably not cause it directly.

See full list of 6 causes of Diabetic Retinopathy

More information about causes of Diabetic Retinopathy:

• Underlying causes of Diabetic Retinopathy
• Diabetic Retinopathy as a complication caused by other conditions
• Diabetic Retinopathy as a symptom
• Medical news summaries relating to Causes of Diabetic Retinopathy

Treatments for Diabetic Retinopathy

• Control blood sugars
• Quit smoking
• Control blood pressure
• Laser eye surgery
• Laser photocoagulation

See full list of 9 treatments for Diabetic Retinopathy

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Patient Surveys for Diabetic Retinopathy

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Prognosis for Diabetic Retinopathy

Prognosis for Diabetic Retinopathy: Depends on severity, from mild vision effects to blindness.

More about prognosis of Diabetic Retinopathy

Reseach about Diabetic Retinopathy

Visit our research pages for current research about Diabetic Retinopathy treatments.

Clinical Trials for Diabetic Retinopathy

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Diabetic Retinopathy include:

• Screening for Studies on Retinovascular Diseases - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Diabetic Retinopathy and Visual Function Study - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Long Term Follow-Up of Diabetic Retinopathy - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Long-Term Follow-Up of Patients Enrolled in the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006)
• Blood Factors and Diabetic Retinopathy - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006)

See full list of 69 Clinical Trials for Diabetic Retinopathy

Prevention of Diabetic Retinopathy

Prevention information for Diabetic Retinopathy has been compiled from various data sources and may be inaccurate or incomplete. None of these methods guarantee prevention of Diabetic Retinopathy.

• Diabetic control
• Quit smoking
• Control blood pressure
• Careful monitor blood pressure during pregnancy
• Exercise carefully (weights, headstands) - some types of exercise that increase blood pressure can actually aggravate the eyes and a retinopathy condition.

Read more about prevention of Diabetic Retinopathy

Statistics for Diabetic Retinopathy

• Medical statistics for Diabetic Retinopathy
• Prevalence and incidence statistics for Diabetic Retinopathy
• Death and Mortality statistics for Diabetic Retinopathy
• Society statistics for Diabetic Retinopathy

Types of Diabetic Retinopathy

• Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR)
• Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR)

Read more about Types of Diabetic Retinopathy

Stories from Users Related to Diabetic Retinopathy

• Prolipheral Diabetic Retinopathy but NOT Diabetic
• Proliferative diabetic retinopathy

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Article Excerpts about Diabetic Retinopathy

This disorder can result from diabetes. It happens when small blood vessels stop feeding the retina properly. In the early stages, the blood vessels may leak fluid, which distorts sight. In the later stages, new vessels may grow and send blood into the center of the eye, causing serious vision loss. In most cases, laser treatment can prevent blindness. It is very important that people with diabetes have an eye exam through dilated pupils every year. (Source: excerpt from Aging and Your Eyes - Age Page - Health Information: NIA)

Definitions of Diabetic Retinopathy:

Retinal changes occurring in diabetes mellitus, marked by microaneurysms, exudates, and hemorrhages, and sometimes by neovascularization. - (Source - Diseases Database)