How can your doctor manage diabetic retinopathy?
Management of diabetic retinopathy depends on which type you have and its severity. The management plan aims to slow or stop the disease progression. But, whatever the type of retinopathy you have, managing your blood sugar is crucial.
Managing your diabetes:
In the early stages, managing your diabetes prevents developing vision problems. While in the late stages, it helps stop the disease progression.
Early diabetic retinopathy (mild or moderate non-proliferative type):
In these early stages, you may not need any treatment. Just conservative watchful waiting is enough. Your eye doctor (ophthalmologist) will do a frequent comprehensive eye exam (every 2 or 4 months) to determine when you will need treatment. Also, managing your diabetes is vital in these stages to avoid developing vision problems.
Advanced diabetic retinopathy:
Proliferative diabetic retinopathy or maculopathy requires immediate treatment because both conditions threaten your sight. Your doctor will decide the treatment, depending on the specific problem in your retina. The treatment options include:
1- Eye injections
Your doctor may inject anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) medications into your eyes to stop growing new vessels on the retina and reduce fluid leakage. These drugs can slow down the disease progression and may improve your vision.
Your doctor injects these drugs under cover of local anesthetic drops. You may need to repeat these injections or use them with other options, like the laser.
2- Laser treatment (photocoagulation)
Your doctor may use the laser to shrink the abnormal vessels and seal the leaks points, which stops (or slows) the fluid accumulation within the retina. This treatment stabilizes your condition and prevents worsening, but it can’t improve your sight.
Your doctor will do this procedure after using local anesthetic drops. It takes around 20 to 40 minutes and doesn’t need a hospital stay. Also, you may need to repeat it more than once.
3- Eye surgery (vitrectomy)
If you have vitreous hemorrhage or retinal detachment, your doctor can do this surgery. The surgeon creates a small incision in your eye. Then, through it, he removes the vitreous (or some of it), the leaked blood, and the scar tissue (that pulls on the retina).
Your doctor will do this procedure under local anesthesia. You can go home on the same or the next day after surgery, but you need to wear an eye patch for a few days.
Your doctor will discuss these treatment options with you, tell you the benefits and side effects, then choose the most effective one for your case and determine the frequency. But, even after treatment, you need a regular eye exam because you may need additional treatment at some point.
