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HOW DOES BLINDNESS OCCUR WITH DIABETIC RETINOPATHY?

FAQ's on Diabetic Eye Disease
Macular Edema: Basically this is when fluid from leaky blood vessels accumulate in the macular area of the retina. The macula serves your central vision and does not tolerate the presence of fluid well. Fluid causes degredation of macular function, and with time, does irreversible damage to the macula. Macular Ischemia: Ischemia is a medical term meaning poor circulation to tissue. In macular ischemia, macular function is poor because of poor oxygenation.
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What exactly is diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetic Retinopathy FAQ - AllAboutVision.com
Diabetic retinopathy is a condition in which high blood sugar causes retinal blood vessels to swell and leak blood.
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Who's at the most risk for diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetic Retinopathy FAQ - AllAboutVision.com
Fluctuating blood sugar levels lead to an increased risk of this disease, as does long-term diabetes. Most people don't develop diabetic retinopathy until they've had diabetes for at least 10 years.
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Is there any way to prevent diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetic Retinopathy FAQ - AllAboutVision.com
Keeping your blood sugar at an even level can help prevent diabetic retinopathy. If you have high blood pressure, keeping that under control is helpful as well. Even controlled diabetes can lead to diabetic retinopathy, so you should have your eyes examined once a year; that way, your doctor can begin treating any retinal damage as soon as possible.
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What are the signs and symptoms of diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetic Retinopathy FAQ - AllAboutVision.com
In the early stages of diabetic retinopathy, you might have no symptoms at all, or you might have blurred vision. In the later stages, you develop cloudy vision, blind spots or floaters.
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What are the different types of diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetic Retinopathy FAQ - AllAboutVision.com
Diabetic retinopathy is classified as either nonproliferative (background) or proliferative. Nonproliferative retinopathy is the early stage, where small retinal blood vessels break and leak. In proliferative retinopathy, new blood vessels grow abnormally within the retina. This new growth can cause scarring or retinal detachment, which can lead to vision loss. The new blood vessels may also grow or bleed into the vitreous humor, the transparent gel filling the eyeball in front of the retina.
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Is diabetic retinopathy curable?

Diabetic Retinopathy FAQ - AllAboutVision.com
No. Early treatment can slow the progression of diabetic retinopathy, but is not likely to reverse any vision loss.
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What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Vision Center
It is a common complication of diabetes that occurs when tiny blood vessels in the retina are damaged by the load of sugar they are carrying. Your vision may become blurred and night vision impaired. All people with diabetes should have an exam with dilated pupils at least once a year. Laser surgery can help shrink abnormal vessels in the early stages of the disease.
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Miami Lighthouse for the Blind - FAQ
Diabetic retinopathy is caused by leaking blood vessels that damage the retina, which may lead to blurred vision and near vision distortion. This eye disease is one of the complications of advanced or long-term diabetes. This information is from Lighthouse International's booklet, "Vision Loss is Not a Normal Part of Aging."
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General Frequently Asked Questions Fromer Eye Centers Catara...
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that weakens the blood vessels that supply nourishment to the retina (the light-sensitive lining in the back of the eye where vision is focused). When these weak vessels leak, swell or develop thin branches, vision loss occurs. In its advanced stages, the disease can cause blurred or cloudy vision, floaters and blind spots – and, eventually, blindness. This damage is irreversible.
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What diabetic retinopathy treatments are currently available?

Diabetic Retinopathy FAQ - AllAboutVision.com
The best treatment is to keep your diabetes under control; blood pressure control is also helpful. Your doctor may decide on laser photocoagulation to seal leaking blood vessels and destroy new blood vessel growth. If blood gets into the vitreous humor, your doctor might want to perform a procedure called a vitrectomy. The patented electrolyte balance of TheraTears precisely matches the human tear film for dry eye relief. Save $1.
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I had laser treatment because of my diabetic retinopathy, but my vision is still blurry. Why?

Frequently Asked Questions - Retina Vitreous Center PA - Oph...
Focal laser treatment of diabetic macular edema is best performed before central vision is affected. Once the center of the macula is swollen, laser often results in some improvement, but the vision may be permanently impaired to some degree. This is why regular retinal exams are important. Additionally, poor blood flow (ischemia) in the macula often damages the vision. There is no treatment for macular ischemia.
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Texan Eye Care in Austin - LASIK, Laser Eye Surgery FAQs
Diabetic retinopathy is a known complication of diabetes that affects the retina, causing blurry vision, blind spots, or floaters. The retina is the lining toward the back of the eye that allows us to focus our vision. When the blood vessels that supply nourishment to the retina are weakened, they tend to leak or swell, causing vision loss, and eventually, blindness. With early intervention, diabetic retinopathy can be controlled; however, any damage to the retina is irreversible.
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Nutrient Synergy | All-Natural Nutritional & Diabetic Supple...
Diabetic retinopathy is a potentially blinding complication of diabetes that damages the eye’s retina. It affects over 4.1 million Americans diagnosed with diabetes. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when the explosion of free radicals causes clogging and damages the tiny blood vessels in the retina. It is a progressive disease, and eventually, if enough of the retina is destroyed total blindness may result.
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FAQ | Newman and Taub Vision Center - Your resource for Dall...
Diabetic retinopathy is a leading cause of blindness in American adults. It is caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina. In some people with diabetic retinopathy, retinal blood vessels may swell and leak fluid, while in others, abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. These abnormal vessels can bleed causing vision loss from scarring and retinal detachment. Diabetic retinopathy cannot be completely avoided, but the risk can be greatly reduced.
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FAQ's on Diabetic Eye Disease
The part of the eye most commonly affected by diabetes is the retina. Because of blood vessel damage, the retinal circulation becomes compromised leading to a cascade of events that destroy the retina and vision. The earliest stage of diabetic retinopathy is the "non-proliferative" stage, with the formation of microaneurysms and tiny hemorrhages in the retinal tissue. At this level, there is usually no noticeable visual change.
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Does diabetic retinopathy have any symptoms?

Frequently Asked Questions About Eye Conditions
Diabetic retinopathy often has no early warning signs. Don't wait for symptoms. Be sure to have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year.
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Does pregnancy have any effect on diabetic retinopathy?

Eyes Hospital,Eyes Hospital in India,Eye Sight Test Care Cen...
Yes. The diabetic retinopathy may worsen during pregnancy. Therefore, if you are a diabetic, contact your ophthalmologist before planning your pregnancy. After doing a check up, he or she may advise you to undergo laser treatment before commencing pregnancy. Moreover, during pregnancy, you must visit your ophthalmologist regularly to detect any worsening of the disease.
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Welcome to NHS Highland
The retina is at the back of your eye and is the part of the eye that sends the messages about what you see to the brain. Retinopathy is usually due to damage to the tiny blood vessels next to the retina. Over several years, a high blood glucose (sugar) level can weaken and damage the tiny blood vessels next to the retina which can cause a number of different problems generally referred to as retinopathy.
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Resource Centre - FAQs
Diabetic retinopathy occurs in two stages, the first is when blood vessels in the retina swell and leak fluid and the second stage is when new blood vessels grow on the surface. For more detailed information about diabetic retinopathy, please see here.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Eye Conditions
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes and a leading cause of blindness. It occurs when diabetes damages the tiny blood vessels inside the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. A healthy retina is necessary for good vision. If you have diabetic retinopathy, at first you may notice no changes to your vision. But over time, diabetic retinopathy can get worse and cause vision loss. Diabetic retinopathy usually affects both eyes.
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Why do I need to be concerned about diabetic retinopathy?

Frequently Asked Questions - Center for Ophthalmology and La...
Diabetic retinopathy is a potentially blinding complication of diabetes that damages the retina. Half of the 15 million Americans with diabetes suffer from diabetic retinopathy. At first, there are no symptoms. But the longer you have diabetes, and the worse your blood sugar control, the greater the risk of you developing more severe diabetic retinopathy.
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KKEyeHospital - About Us - Our History
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that is caused by the blood vessels of the eye. The retina is a nerve layer at the back of the eye that senses light and helps to send images to your brain. When blood vessels in the retina are damaged, they may leak fluid or blood , and grow fragile, brush-like branches and scar tissue . This can blur or distort the images that the retina sends to the brain, and may lead to blindness if left untreated.
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Eye Clinic Shanghai - New Vision
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that weakens the blood vessels that supply nourishment to the retina (the light-sensitive lining in the back of the eye where vision is focused). When these weak vessels leak, swell or develop thin branches, vision loss occurs. In its advanced stages, the disease can cause blurred or cloudy vision, floaters and blind spots - and, eventually, blindness. This damage is irreversible.
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The Eye Center, Pembroke Pines, Florida
Diabetes is a disease that interferes with the body's ability to use and store sugar and can cause many health problems. One, called diabetic retinopathy, can weaken and cause changes in the small blood vessels that nourish your eye's retina, the delicate, light sensitive lining of the back of the eye. These blood vessels may begin to leak, swell or develop brush-like branches. The early stages of diabetic retinopathy may cause blurred vision, or they may produce no visual symptoms at all.
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WDRP - Questions about the study
Retinopathy literally means “damage to the retina.” The retina is the sensory membrane that lines the eye. It functions as the immediate instrument of vision by receiving images formed by the lens and converting them into signals which reach the brain by way of the optic nerve. Diabetic retinopathy occurs when the blood vessels in the retina swell and leak blood, which causes damage to the retina.
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How does diabetic retinopathy cause vision loss?

Frequently Asked Questions About Eye Conditions
Fragile, abnormal blood vessels can develop and leak blood into the center of the eye, blurring vision. This is proliferative retinopathy and is the fourth and most advanced stage of the disease. Fluid can leak into the center of the macula, the part of the eye where sharp, straight-ahead vision occurs. The fluid makes the macula swell, blurring vision. This condition is called macular edema.
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