The retina lines the rear two-thirds of the eye, this part is responsible for receiving visual messages and images. Retinopathy is a disease of the retina, a wall that percepts light and vision; signs of retinopathy are visible when the retina is viewed through the pupil with an ophthalmoscope. There could be various types of retinopathy; some of the most prominent types are
Hypertensive Retinopathy
Hypertension and Vascular blood vessel diseases can affect the relatively small and prone to damage blood vessels of the retina. Retinopathy could also indicate vascular damage elsewhere in the body; visual changes usually occur because of advanced retinopathy and may be a sign of chronic hypertension.
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy could itself be of two types proliferative and non-proliferative, referring to the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the retina. Non-proliferative is much more common and may not require any medical intervention for healing. In the case of proliferative retinopathy, abnormal blood vessels start to grow when the existing blood vessels close off. The proliferative type of retinopathy can lead to impaired vision. Therefore, a person suffering from any of the possible symptoms should undertake regular eye checkups to check the progression of retinopathy from non-proliferative stages to proliferative stages.
Signs and symptoms of retinopathy would include
- Blurry vision
- Double vision, seeing double edges
- Floaters or spots in the vision
- Eye pain or redness that does not resolve by itself even after some time.
- Decreased Peripheral vision
Prevention and treatment
Prevention of retinopathy could be started with early diagnosis and treatment of conditions that might cause retinopathy. In case a person with diabetes is suffering from high blood sugar levels, proper control through lifestyle changes as well as dietary changes. People with diabetes should consider going through regular eye examinations to ensure that a doctor recognizes any occurrence as soon as possible. Early treatment in every case is essential to prevent blindness which could be the conclusion to diseases such as retinopathy.
Who are at most risk.’
- Having diabetes for a long time
- Poor control of your blood sugar level
- High Blood Pressure
- High Cholesterols
- Pregnancy
- Tobacco use and being an avid smoker
- Being Hispanic, black or native American
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