Can diabetic retinopathy heal itself?
Perich Eye Centers
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Perich Eye Centers 〰️
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that affects the eyes, specifically the blood vessels in the retina. These blood vessels of the retina become abnormal and develop tiny leaks, causing fluid or blood to seep into the retina, especially the macula. When fluid accumulates in the macula, it becomes wet and swollen and cannot work properly. This is called macular edema, which causes the central vision to become blurry. The condition can cause vision problems, including blindness, if left untreated.
Can diabetic retinopathy heal itself?
Unfortunately, diabetic retinopathy cannot heal itself. However, early detection and treatment can help prevent or slow the progression of the disease and preserve vision. People with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes are both at risk for developing diabetic retinopathy. One of the main contributing factors to developing diabetic retinopathy is uncontrolled blood sugar that leads to increased damage to the retinal blood vessels.
Treatment options for diabetic retinopathy depend on the severity of the condition and may include medications, laser therapy, or surgery. People with diabetes should have regular eye exams to detect any changes in the retina, even if they have no symptoms. Additionally, managing blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels can help reduce the risk of developing diabetic retinopathy or slow its progression.
Depending on the severity of the case when detected, steps can be taken to slow the progress. Complete reversal is not able to be achieved at this time. However, there are different treatments that can be done to prevent permeant vision loss. If you have only minor damage to your blood vessels, we will care for you with regular monitoring and managing of your diabetes through diet and exercise.
If your diabetic retinopathy is more advanced, a laser procedure at our center may be recommended. During your surgery one of our doctors will use photocoagulation to seal leaking blood vessels and prevent further tissue damage. Other cases may require an intraocular surgery called a vitrectomy. This procedure involves the removal of the vitreous, a gel-like fluid inside the eye. Saline liquid, or a gas or silicone oil bubble, will be used to replace this fluid and stabilize pressure in the eye.
How can I slow down diabetic retinopathy?
Making healthy lifestyle choices to keep your blood sugar levels, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels low can help to slow down the progression. All those healthy choices in foods and exercise can really make a difference for your overall health and wellness. Eating a diet of real foods and cutting back on alcohol and caffeine is always a good choice to help your body out. Smoking is also strongly suggested to quit doing.
Exercise daily by moving the body doesn’t mean you have to go hard in the gym for hours. Long walks outside or swimming in a pool keeps the blood flowing and the body going. Next time you go for a walk, make sure to swing your arms as you will burn more calories and keep your momentum going strong!
What are the symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy?
Though vision may gradually become blurred, significant loss of sight does not usually occur with non-proliferative retinopathy. Since the patient does not experience pain or external symptoms such as bloodshot eyes or discharge, changes in the retina can go unnoticed unless detected by an eye exam.
When bleeding occurs in proliferative retinopathy, the patient has clouding or complete loss of sight. Connective tissue pulling on the retina causes distortion and blurring. However, if abnormalities occur in the peripheral retina, the patient may not experience any symptoms.
Please let us know if you are having any of the following symptoms:
vision fluctuations,
blurred vision,
poor to little ability to see at night,
and seeing spots or floaters.
These are all tell tale symptoms of diabetic retinopathy. If you have diabetes, we recommend getting a dilated eye exam at least once a year to look for signs of diabetic retinopathy or other vision problems, even if you aren’t currently experiencing any symptoms. If you are diabetic and are considering getting pregnant, please make an appointment with us to establish a baseline for your care.
Feel free to call us here at Perich Eye to schedule a consultation or second opinion visit if you have already been diagnosed by another eye doctor office. We have multiple offices throughout Central Florida to meet your local needs with some of the best doctors around.
