Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetes is a chronic disease which affects the blood vessels in the retina, a nerve layer at the back of the eye. When blood vessels in the retina are damaged, they may leak fluid or blood, and in later stages grow abnormally and bleed in the eye. Sometimes the retina can be lifted due to fibrous membrane formation.

This can cause reduced vision in early stages and sudden loss of near total vision in case of bleeding. The treatment in severe cases includes laser to the retina, intravitreal injections and retinal surgery. An annual dilated retina check up is recommended in all diabetic patients.