If you have any concerns about your eye health, call us or drop in at the practice. An early professional examination offers you peace-of-mind and can ensure the most effective treatment if needed.
Diabetic retinopathy occurs when high blood sugar levels cause damage to the cells of the retina at the back of your eye. The condition will worsen without appropriate treatment or management and can ultimately lead to blindness.
The NHS operates a diabetic screening programme, so it is important that you attend your regular medical check-ups if you have been diagnosed with diabetes. Any steps you take to manage your diabetes effectively (blood sugar levels, exercise, weight, etc.) will help to control and limit the severity of eye-related complications, or at least to slow the rate of progression.
Undiagnosed diabetic retinopathy can be spotted by your optician during routine eye checks. So it is very important – especially as you get older and if you have risk factors for diabetes – to get your eyes checked regularly and at least every two years. We always recommend opting for a retinal photograph to be taken during the check where that service is available.
Treatment
Mild diabetic retinopathy may not require any treatment so long as you maintain good control over your risk factors – including blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol levels.
In more severe cases, treatment at the hospital is required.