{"id":374,"date":"2021-09-16T15:41:17","date_gmt":"2021-09-16T15:41:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.kiwidrug.com\/blog\/?p=374"},"modified":"2021-09-16T15:41:17","modified_gmt":"2021-09-16T15:41:17","slug":"diabetic-retinopathy-causes-symptoms-and-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.kiwidrug.com\/blog\/2021\/09\/diabetic-retinopathy-causes-symptoms-and-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Diabetic Retinopathy: Causes, Symptoms, and Treatment"},"content":{"rendered":"Reading Time: <\/span> 4<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>

Did you know that by 2050, the number of Americans with diabetic retinopathy\u00a0is estimated to be close to 15 million people<\/a>? This number has doubled since 2010 and continues to grow.<\/p>\n

Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes and\u00a0can seriously affect the blood vessels in your eyes. If you have diabetes,\u00a0it’s essential to control your blood sugar and keep your eyes healthy.<\/p>\n

Are you interested\u00a0in learning more about diabetic retinopathy? Then keep reading this guide to learn about its symptoms, causes, and treatment!<\/p>\n

What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?<\/h2>\n

Diabetes affects blood circulation throughout your body, and it doesn’t skip your eyes. When you have high blood sugar levels, the blood vessels in your retina are affected too. The result of these events is diabetic retinopathy.\u00a0In most people with diabetes, diabetic retinopathy is the number one cause of vision loss.<\/p>\n

If you have diabetes, controlling your blood sugar levels is key to preventing diabetic retinopathy. In most cases, if you get your blood sugar under control, you can stop the early stages of diabetic retinopathy from occurring in the first place.<\/p>\n

Diabetic Retinopathy Stages<\/h2>\n

There are four stages to diabetic retinopathy. The first stage is early diabetic retinopathy, also referred to as mild nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR). In this initial stage, the blood vessels in your retina begin to change, which causes swelling and fluid to go in the retina.<\/p>\n

If this\u00a0initial stage continues, it will develop into the second stage, moderate nonproliferation retinopathy. In this stage, blood vessels continue to swell and change shape. Due to this, they can’t deliver enough blood supply to your retina. Ultimately this changes the way your retina appears.<\/p>\n

The\u00a0third stage is severe nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy. As diabetic retinopathy progresses into this stage,\u00a0healthy blood vessels become blocked and cannot deliver blood to your retina at all. As a result, your body releases particular proteins that tell your retina to grow new blood vessels.<\/p>\n

The final stage is proliferative diabetic retinopathy. In this stage,\u00a0new blood cells grow inside your retina and into the jelly inside your eye\u00a0called\u00a0vitreous<\/a>.\u00a0The new blood vessels that grow\u00a0are fragile and are more likely to bleed and leak fluid. Scar tissue forms and causes your retina to pull away, resulting in a retinal detachment. Once this happens, you’re at risk for permanent blindness.<\/p>\n

Diabetic Retinopathy Causes<\/h2>\n

If you have diabetes and your blood sugar is not controlled well over time, you can develop diabetic retinopathy. Too much sugar in your blood leads to the blockage of the tiny blood vessels that supply the retina.<\/p>\n

It’s important to remember that anybody with diabetes can develop diabetic retinopathy. The risk of developing diabetic retinopathy increases as a result of:<\/p>\n