Diabetic Eye Disease
Diabetes mellitus affects the eye from the front - where there is a higher incidence of cataracts and glaucoma - to the back where there is disease of the retina. The retinal disease is thought to be a result of problems with the tiny blood vessels that supply the retina: they become narrower, so that the retina becomes short of oxygen - a condition which gets worse as time goes on, and if the level of diabetic control is poor. The response is to grow new blood vessels. The problem is that these are leaky, and may cause bleeding and loss of vision. The macula may also be affected by swelling - macula oedema, which can reduce vision. The development of new vessels can be stopped by using laser beams to seal them. Diabetic eye disease can be reduced by improving diabetic control.
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