Diabetic retinopathy (patient information)
For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Jinhui Wu, MD
Please Join in Editing This Page and Apply to be an Editor-In-Chief for this topic: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [2] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch.
What is diabetic retinopathy?
How do I know if I have diabetic retinopathy and what are the symptoms of diabetic retinopathy?
Early diabetic retinopathy does not have any symptoms. With the devolpment, people may notice one or more of the following symptoms:
- Bleeding
- Blurred vision and gradual vision loss, even blindness.
- Floaters
- Shadows or missing areas of vision
- Difficulty seeing at nighttime
Other health problems may also cause these symptoms. Only a ophthalmologist and physician can tell for sure. A person with any of these symptoms should tell the doctor so that the problems can be diagnosed and treated as early as possible.
Who is at risk for diabetic retinopathy?
- All people with diabetes, both type 1 and type 2, are at risk.
- The longer the patient has diabetes, the more likely he/she will get diabetic retinopathy.
How to know you have diabetic retinopathy?
- Visual acuity test: This is a basic test for eyes, which is to measure how well you see at various distances.
- Dilated eye exam: During this test, drops are placed in your eyes to widen the pupils. Then, your eye care professional uses a special magnifying lens to examine your retina, optic nerve and other problems.
- Retinal photography or fluorescein angiography test: During this test, the doctor injects a special dye into the patient's arm and collects pictures as the dye passes through the blood vessels in the retina. The test can identify any leaking blood vessels and recommend treatment.
When to seek urgent medical care?
Treatment options
Diseases with similar symptoms
Where to find medical care for diabetic retinopathy?
Directions to Hospitals Treating diabetic retinopathy
Prevention of diabetic retinopathy
What to expect (Outook/Prognosis)?
Copyleft Sources
http://nihseniorhealth.gov/diabeticretinopathy/toc.html
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/001212.htm