Diabetic Retinopathy: A Silent Threat To Vision
Diabetic Retinopathy Diabetes is a chronic health condition that is affecting millions of people worldwide. While high blood sugar levels cause damage to several organs in the body over time, one of the most serious complications of diabetes is its impact on the eyes.Diabetic retinopathy occurs when prolonged high blood sugar levels from diabetes cause damage to the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (retina). Left untreated, diabetic retinopathy can cause blindness. Here is an in-depth look at this condition, its causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment. What is Diabetic Retinopathy? Diabetic retinopathy refers specifically to changes in the retinal blood vessels caused by complications of diabetes over time. There are two main stages of diabetic retinopathy - non-proliferative and proliferative. In the early stages called non-proliferative retinopathy, microaneurysms (small areas of balloon-like swelling in the retina's tiny blood vessels) o...