Eyes - FAQ

What is diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that affects the retina. The retina is the layer at the back of the eye, which is sensitive to light. To be able to see, light must be able to pass to the retina. It passes through the cornea (a clear covering in front of the eye), lens and vitreous (a clear, jelly-like substance that gives support to the back of the eye). The focused light or images are then carried to the brain by the optic nerve.

Diabetes causes the capillaries — tiny blood vessels — in the retina to become blocked. This may then lead to leakage in the central retina or result in the growth of new vessels, which may bleed and fill the eye with blood (a phenomenon called vitreous haemorrhage).

Retinopathy is usually classified according to severity, which may differ in both eyes. The longer a person has diabetes the greater the likelihood of developing diabetic retinopathy. The retinal vascular changes are often divided into three major groups describing the extent of the changes:

  • Background
  • Pre-proliferative
  • Proliferative.

I have been told that I need laser treatment for my eyes. What does this mean?

Lasers can be used to seal tears, stop bleeding, make tiny openings and evaporate small amounts of tissue. Your ophthalmologist will discuss with you the most appropriate treatment for your retina. If you do have laser treatment for your eyes, it will be performed on an out-patient basis and generally takes about 20 minutes to perform. You will be seated in front of a laser, which resembles the slit-lamp microscope used to examine your eyes. Your chin is placed on a rest and you will be asked to look at a special pin-point light. A special contact lens will be placed on your cornea following the installation of local anaesthetic drops to help the ophthalmologist gain a fuller view of the retina. You will then experience bright flashes of light as the laser beam focuses on and removes the damaged blood vessels at the back of the eye.

How does diabetes affect your eyesight and what can be done to prevent your eyesight getting any worse due to being a diabetic ?

The retina located at the back of the eye takes in light and signals the brain to produce vision. Prolonged high blood glucose levels, high blood pressure and smoking causes a slowing of blood to the retina. To compensate, extra blood vessels develop and this stage is known as early retinopathy. An annual eye examination with an ophthalmologist is vital because a person with early retinopathy will not experience any problems. If left untreated, the blood vessels can become blocked, causing swelling of the retina and cells begin to die. At this point proliferative retinopathy has begun. Treatment for retinopathy is laser treatment which prevents/ slows the progress of new vessel formation and bleeding by burning new blood vessel growth. Anyone who complains of the following should consult their diabetes team immediately:

  • Blurred vision
  • Trouble focusing on objects close to the eye
  • Trouble with seeing things at the side of your sight
  • Seeing double or black spots
  • Seeing 'floaters'.