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June 12, 2024
Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that affects the blood vessels and nerve tissue inside the retina of your eye. If left untreated, diabetic retinopathy can lead to vision loss and blood vessel breakage.
There are treatment options available with the help of providers at Ludwick Eye Center for patients around Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. Our team provides innovative treatments focused on preserving your remaining sight and ensuring your diabetic retinopathy doesn’t progress.
Diabetic retinopathy can be diagnosed and monitored with routine eye exams. A dilated eye exam allows your ophthalmologist to get a better view of the inside of your eyes and the structures present there, such as blood vessels and nerves.
Your eye doctor may also recommend fluorescein angiography to confirm diabetic retinopathy. This test uses an organic dye, which is injected into your bloodstream. This highlights your blood vessels when using a special camera, including the ones in your eye. If the blood vessels in your eye are leaking, this indicates that you may have diabetic retinopathy.
There are three primary treatment methods for diabetic retinopathy:
The right treatment for you may depend on your age, the severity of your condition, and overall health. Treatments may combine several methods to get you the best results possible.
Managing your diabetes is essential to helping prevent or slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy. Your primary care provider can help you stay on top of your diabetes treatments and management.
For some people, surgery is not an option. In that case, our optometrists may recommend medication injections, such as steroids or antibiotics, into the eye. These injections reduce fluid leakage and treat any infections that may occur with broken blood vessels and fluid leakage.
A vitrectomy is a procedure that removes the substance, known as the vitreous, that fills up the center of the eye. This jelly-like substance is replaced with a saline solution, which can slow or stop the progression of diabetic retinopathy. If there is scar tissue in the retina, it can also be removed during a vitrectomy procedure.
Vitrectomies are also an option for patients who have experienced diabetic tractional retinal detachments (TRDs). The viscous fluid that caused the retina to detach is removed, and a laser re-attaches the retina.
Laser surgery may be an option to treat your diabetic retinopathy. During surgery, a surgeon dilates your eyes and uses high-intensity light to seal blood vessels. This also prevents blood and fluid from leaking into the retina in the future.
Other laser surgery options include photocoagulation (focal laser treatment) and panretinal photocoagulation (scatter laser treatment), which treat the retina to slow, shrink, or prevent blood vessels from leaking.
If you’re struggling with diabetic retinopathy, the eye doctors at Ludwick Eye Center can help. We work with your current doctor to relay treatment information to ensure your entire treatment team is up to date. Schedule an appointment at your local Chambersburg, PA, office to begin diabetic retinopathy treatment today.
