Diabetic Retinopathy: What you should know
This booklet is for people with diabetic retinopathy and their families and friends. It provides information about diabetic retinopathy and answers questions about the cause and symptoms of this progressive eye disease. Diagnosis and types of treatment are described.
Read this booklet online, or download it, by following the links below. Diabetic Retinopathy: What you should know is available as a PDF, a DAISY Digital Talking Book with narrated audio and NCC structure, or as a Microsoft Word file.
Diabetic Retinopathy (PDF, 401.2 kB)
Diabetic Retinopathy (DAISY - narrated audio with NCC
structure, .zip, 6.6 MB)
Diabetic Retinopathy (Word, 82.0 kB)
Contents
- What is diabetic retinopathy? - 3
- What are the stages of diabetic retinopathy? - 4
- Who is at risk for diabetic retinopathy? - 5
- How does diabetic retinopathy cause vision loss? - 6
- Does diabetic retinopathy have any symptoms? - 7
- What are the symptoms of proliferative retinopathy if bleeding occurs? - 7
- How are macular oedema and diabetic retinopathy detected? - 8
- How is macular oedema treated? - 9
- How is diabetic retinopathy treated? - 10
- What happens during laser treatment? - 12
- What is a vitrectomy? - 12
- Are scatter laser treatment and vitrectomy effective in treating proliferative retinopathy? - 13
- What can I do if I already have lost some vision from diabetic retinopathy? - 14
- What research is being done? - 14
- What can I do to protect my vision? - 15
- What is the "Get Checked" programme? - 16
- What should I ask my eye care professional? - 17
- Where can I get more information? - 20
The Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind (RNZFB) is working to reduce vision impairment and blindness through undertaking health promotion activities in partnership with other organisations. We also aim to raise awareness about preventable or treatable eye conditions. This booklet is one of five in the series of information booklets on the main preventable and manageable eye conditions: Age-related Macular Degeneration, Cataracts, Glaucoma, Retinitis Pigmentosa and Diabetic Retinopathy.
For more information about the RNZFB, contact:
Technology, Employment and Awareness Division
Royal New Zealand Foundation of the Blind
Private Bag 99941, Newmarket, Auckland
Telephone: (09) 355 6900 or 0800 24 33 33
Email: cea
Website: www.rnzfb.org.nz