Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common complications and has a serious impact on vision, becoming the leading cause of blindness in adults. Experts warn that once diagnosed, diabetic patients should have a fundus exam immediately and then insist on at least an annual review, which can greatly reduce the chances of blindness.
Be alert: vision loss is mostly advanced
The rate of blindness in the glucose network is very high, and most of the outpatients come to the clinic because of vision loss, but it is often at an advanced stage. Many diabetic patients only focus on blood glucose control and have little awareness of complications. Due to the insidious onset of the disease, there are almost no symptoms in the early stages. When the development of glucose reticulum is advanced, patients will have symptoms of vision loss. If no attention is paid at this time, some patients will induce glaucoma, which not only completely loses light perception, but also feels very painful, and it is difficult to restore vision because the best treatment time has been missed.
Once diagnosed, diabetic patients should immediately do fundus examination; after receiving the first specialist examination, they should insist on re-examination at least once a year; patients who have been found to have a sugar network should respect the medical advice for regular re-examination in order to preserve the visual function.
Treatment: Early preventive treatment Late vitreous surgery
In addition to the use of appropriate hypoglycemic drugs and insulin to control blood glucose, microcirculation improvers and vascular protectors are also necessary medications for patients with stage Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅲ. Stage Ⅳ patients can have timely and effective laser treatment to stabilize the disease and preserve vision. The risk of vascular glaucoma, vitrectomy must be performed to maximize the preservation of residual vision and stabilize the condition. Director Yuan Rong Di introduced that some people can save part of their vision through surgery, but if it is not treated at an advanced stage, it can cause severe retinal detachment or neovascular glaucoma, resulting in lifelong blindness.
Director Yuan Rong Di, who has more than ten years of experience in biosurgery, reminded that there are four levels of difficulty in ophthalmic surgery, and biosurgery is the most difficult level four, the main surgeon needs professional training and a long learning period, and currently only large hospitals can perform this surgery.
Do basic eye examination after diagnosis
Diabetic patients should receive a comprehensive eye examination at least once a year after diagnosis, and patients with diabetic retinopathy should have their eyes examined more often. The following basic eye exams are best done after a diabetes diagnosis
1. Visual acuity examination. Measure the patient’s ability to focus on near and far objects and the clarity of observation, which helps to detect vision loss, etc.
2, slit lamp and fundoscopy. Helps the doctor to detect other structural lesions of the eye such as fundus.
3.Anterior chamber angle microscopy. This test is done only when the doctor suspects that the patient has glaucoma.
4.Intraocular pressure test. Measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP) helps detect glaucoma, and diabetes increases the risk of glaucoma.
5. Fundus photography, which allows you to follow up and check the condition of diabetic retinopathy.
The longer the disease duration, the higher the chance of developing it
Diabetic retinopathy is the result of long-term hyperglycemia. Director Yuan Rong Di reminds that the following patients in particular need to be alert.
1. Diabetic patients with long-term disease. The longer the duration of diabetes, the higher the risk of retinopathy. According to statistics, the incidence of retinopathy is 7% for those with <10 years of disease, 26% for those with 10-14 years of disease, 63% for those with 15 years of disease, and 95% for those with more than 30 years of disease. The literature reports that among patients with 15 years of diabetes, 20% of those with type I diabetes are completely blind, and 75% of those with type II diabetes have reduced vision to the point of being unable to work, half of whom are legally blind (visual acuity of 0.1 or less).
2. Those with poorly controlled blood sugar and blood pressure. The higher the blood glucose, the greater the risk of retinopathy. If there is also hypertension and renal insufficiency, retinopathy will come faster. Strict control of blood pressure can reduce the risk of diabetic mortality and progression of the glucose network. In addition, frequent smokers, oral contraceptives, pregnant women and patients who have already developed diabetic nephropathy, diabetic neuropathy and other diabetic complications should also be more alert to retinopathy.
1. Can diabetic retinopathy occur in both type I and type II diabetes?
Both types can develop the disease, but type I patients usually have attacks at a younger age and need special attention.
2. Is vitrectomy very invasive?
Vitreous surgery includes 20G conventional vitreous surgery and minimally invasive vitreous surgery. We use 23G suture-free minimally invasive vitrectomy system, which has small incision, little damage and is minimally invasive surgery to restore the clear refractive interstitium and promote retinal repositioning by removing the cloudy vitreous or removing the vitreoretinal tract, and intraoperative laser treatment to restore the patient’s visual function and stabilize the condition. In addition to sugar reticulum, it can also treat eye diseases such as retinal detachment, eye trauma, vitreous blood accumulation caused by retinal vascular diseases.
3.Can fundus laser surgery be done repeatedly?
Most patients can effectively prevent further deterioration of their eye disease through laser surgery, but with the progress of diabetic disease, there is still a possibility of recurrence, so regular review is needed and repeated laser treatment can be performed several times if necessary.
4.Can diabetic eye disease be cured?
Once glycosuria appears, it cannot be cured, but it is possible to stop the development as long as you face it objectively and optimistically, actively cooperate with the treatment and adhere to a reasonable diet.