• What is it?
• What are the symptoms?
• What causes it?
• Can it be treated?
• How can I avoid losing vision to diabetic retinopathy?
• Where can I get more help or information?

What is it?

Diabetic retinopathy is a degenerative retinal eye condition which is a complication of diabetes. About one third of people with Type 2 diabetes (the kind of diabetes often associated with being overweight, eating foods that are high in fat and a lack of exercise) will also have diabetic retinopathy.

What are the symptoms?

You may not have any symptoms in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy, which is why it is important to have regular eye checks if you are a diabetic.

In the later stages of diabetic retinopathy you may notice blind spots in your field of vision, or find it difficult reading or doing close work. This can indicate a problem with your macula, the part of the eye responsible for your central vision.

What causes it?

If you have diabetes, and your blood sugar gets too high, it can damage the blood vessels in your eyes. There are two main ways that diabetic retinopathy affects your eyes.

In the early stages, tiny blood vessels in the retina can burst and leak, causing the retina to swell and form deposits. This is called non-proliferative or background retinopathy.

In a later stage, as a response to the normal blood vessels being damaged, abnormal blood vessels can grow. The abnormal vessels can create scar tissue or burst and leak into the vitreous, the clear, jelly-like part of the eye. This is called proliferative diabetic
retinopathy. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy is extremely serious if it is not treated and can lead to total blindness.

Can it be treated?

While prevention is the best cure, there is treatment available for diabetic retinopathy.
Laser photocoagulation is a process that uses a laser to stop the blood vessels in the retina from growing. It is painless, as there are no nerve endings in the retina. Vision that has already been lost, however, cannot be restored. Laser photocoagulation can
only halt the progress of the disease and stop it from becoming worse. If fluid such as blood has leaked into the vitreous, a vitrectomy may be performed. This removes the fluid, which is replaced with normal vitreous fluid by the body, and vision usually improves.

How can I avoid losing vision to diabetic retinopathy?

Firstly, by preventing diabetes.

You are less likely to get type 2 diabetes if you:

• Eat a healthy, balanced diet, avoiding foods high in fat and sugar
• Exercise regularly
• Maintain a healthy weight
  
  

If you have diabetes, you need to:

• Keep your blood sugar levels under good control
• Have a dilated eye exam by an eye specialist once a year
• Quit smoking if you are a smoker
• See your eye specialist immediately if you notice spotty, blurry or hazy vision

It is important to remember that in order to avoid losing your vision to diabetic retinopathy, it must be detected early. Regular eye checks are the only way to do this.

Where can I get more help or information?

Diabetes New Zealand can provide you with information on managing your diabetes effectively. They can be contacted on 0800 DIABETES (0800 342 238)

The Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind can be contacted on 0800 24 33 33 or email general