Diabetic Retinopathy-Catch This Diabetes Problem Early

There are of course numerous complications resulting from diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy is one that directly effects your vision. It happens because the eye's retina is damaged because of the diabetes. So let's take a closer look, starting with an explanation of what the retina is.

We don't need a detailed explanation here. You just need to understand that the retina is simply a group of nerves that sits in the back of your eyeball. Think of them like a digital camera. They give your brain a picture of what you see. It's a simple process that people without vision problems can take for granted. But retinopathy interferes with this process.

The retina has a series of blood vessels. These blood vessels are sensitive and can be split. The result is that the fluid from those vessels will begin to drip into the compound of the eye. And that's where the problems start.

Frequently the first noticeable change will be what look like and obstruction in your sight. Scar tissue starts to form in your eyeball and all around it. As it progresses, the retina becomes detached, and no longer sits in the position it should.

So how does this relate to diabetes? Well high levels of sugar in the blood can cause the damage we just talked about to occur. But the bigger problem is that all too often the noticeable symptoms happen only after the problem damage has become extremely severe. The result is that frequently you may not even realize the problem exists until it is too late to correct. This means that regular eye checkups from a doctor are essential. In the case of diabetics, you'll need to visit your eye doctor a minimum of every year. Discovering a problem in the early stages makes it much easier to correct.

Also be aware of any symptoms that may occur between scheduled visits. Some people notice floaters, which are nothing more than black or white spots that appear for no reason. Double vision, weak vision or blurry vision can also be signs of diabetic retinopathy. Take these symptoms seriously, even if they appear to be extremely mild. Contact your eye doctor immediately if any of these things should happen.

Often times treatment is not necessary, but if it is, there are several treatments available. These treatments can reduce the amount of vision being lost. They include surgery, prescriptions medication and also laser treatments. Your doctor will discuss all your treatment options with you.

Remember the key to a successful treatment is to catch any problems early. Schedule yearly (or more frequent) visits to your eye doctor. This will help you discover if you have a problem soon enough to keep your diabetic retinopathy from becoming too severe.

Article Source: ArticlesMaker.com

About the Author: If you want to find out additional info about the diabetic testing supplies you should have on hand, and explore diabetic food to help you eat delicious meals every day, visit Diabetes-Diabetic-Diet-Plans.com 

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