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Diabetic retinopathy - Treatment

Alternative Names

Retinopathy - diabetic

Treatment:

Treatment usually does not reverse damage that has already occurred, but it will keep the disease from getting worse. Drugs are being developed that keep abnormal blood vessels from growing in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Laser surgery or photocoagulation may be used to keep vessels from leaking or to get rid of abnormal fragile vessels.

A surgical procedure called vitrectomy is used when there is bleeding (hemorrhage) into the eye. It may also be used to repair retinal detachment.

Support Groups:

American Diabetes Association - www.diabetes.org

National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse - www.diabetes.niddk.nih.gov

Prevent Blindness America - www.preventblindness.org

Expectations (prognosis):

You can improve your outcome by keeping good control of your blood sugar and blood pressure.

Diabetic retinopathy can lead to blindness without treatment.

Complications:

Blindness
Glaucoma
Retinal detachment

Calling your health care provider:

Call for an appointment with an eye doctor (ophthalmologist) if you have diabetes and you have not seen an ophthalmologist in the past year.

Slit-lamp exam

Reviewed last on: 4/22/2008
Andrew A. Dahl, M.D., F.A.C.S., Director of Ophthalmology Training, Institute for Family Health, Assistant Professor of Ophthalmology, New York College of Medicine, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Sydorova M, Lee MS. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Levels in Vitreous and Serum of Patients with either Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy or Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy. Ophthalmic Res. 2005 Jun 29;37(4):188-190.

Singerman L. Findings of the Phase 2 Trial of the Safety and Efficacy of Pegaptanib Sodium (Macugen™) in Patients With Diabetic Macular Edema. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2005;46: E-Abstract 4674.

Rosenblatt RJ, Benson WJ. Diabetic Retinopathy. In: Yanoff M, ed. Opthalmology. 2nd ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby; 2004;877-887.

American Diabetes Association (ADA). Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2008;31:S1-S12.

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