Diabetic Retinopathy
One of the most serious and common complications of diabetes is diabetic retinopathy, a progressive condition that affects the retina and can lead to permanent vision loss if left untreated.
What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of both type 1 and type 2 diabetes that affects the small blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensitive tissue at the back of your eye. Over time, high blood sugar can weaken and damage these vessels, causing them to leak fluid or bleed, swell the retina, or stimulate the growth of abnormal new blood vessels.
These changes interfere with how clearly your eye can send visual information to your brain. Left untreated, diabetic retinopathy can cause blurry vision, dark spots, floaters, or even sudden vision loss.
Who is at Risk?
Anyone with diabetes can develop diabetic retinopathy, but your risk is higher if you:
- Have had diabetes for many years
- Don’t consistently manage your blood sugar levels
- Have high blood pressure or high cholesterol
Smoke - Are pregnant (gestational diabetes increases short-term risk)
Diagnosing Diabetic Retinopathy
At Cascade Eye & Skin Centers, we perform comprehensive dilated eye exams to look for early signs of retinal changes. We may also use:
- Optical coherence tomography (OCT): A non-invasive scan that shows retinal thickness and swelling
- Fluorescein angiography: A dye test that highlights leaky or abnormal blood vessels
- Retinal photography: To document progression over time
If diabetic retinopathy is caught early, monitoring and lifestyle management may be enough to keep it from progressing. However, if the disease is more advanced, we’ll talk through treatment options.
Macular Edema: A Common Complication
In any stage of diabetic retinopathy, swelling can occur in the macula, the part of the retina responsible for sharp central vision. This is called diabetic macular edema (DME) and is a leading cause of vision impairment in diabetic patients.
Symptoms may include:
- Blurred or wavy vision
- Difficulty seeing fine details
- Darkened central vision
Even if you aren’t experiencing symptoms, DME can still be detected through a dilated eye exam or specialized retinal imaging.
Treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy
Treatment depends on the stage and whether complications like macular edema are present. At Cascade Eye & Skin Centers, we offer a range of effective, evidence-based options:
Anti-VEGF Injections
Anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) medications are injected into the eye to reduce swelling and slow or reverse the growth of abnormal blood vessels. These injections are one of the most common and effective treatments for both proliferative diabetic retinopathy and macular edema.
Most patients need multiple injections over several months, with gradual improvement in vision and retinal health.
Corticosteroid Injections
For certain cases of macular edema, steroid injections may be used to reduce inflammation and fluid buildup. These are often considered when anti-VEGF injections aren’t effective or tolerated.
Laser Treatment (Photocoagulation)
Laser therapy may be used to:
- Seal leaking blood vessels
- Shrink abnormal vessels
- Prevent new vessels from growing
This treatment helps preserve vision but typically won’t restore what’s already been lost. The goal is stabilization and prevention.
Vitrectomy (Surgical Option)
In severe cases involving bleeding or retinal detachment, vitrectomy surgery may be necessary. This involves removing the vitreous gel and replacing it with a clear solution to restore vision and prevent further damage.
Can Vision Be Restored?
It depends on how advanced the condition is when treatment begins. In many cases, early intervention can stabilize or even improve vision. However, once vision is lost from advanced retinal damage, it may not be fully restored, which is why routine eye exams are essential, even if you’re not having symptoms.
Schedule Your Diabetic Eye Exam Today
If you have diabetes, you shouldn’t wait for vision problems to appear before getting your eyes checked. Our ophthalmologists at Cascade Eye & Skin Centers are experienced in detecting and managing diabetic retinopathy at every stage.
Schedule your diabetic eye exam today, and let’s protect your vision together.
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Get Started
with Cascade
Contact Cascade Eye & Skin Centers, P.C., today to learn more about eye and skin care from the experts.
Get Started
with Cascade
Contact Cascade Eye & Skin Centers, P.C., today to learn more about eye and skin care from the experts.
If you are an existing patient looking to refill a prescription, pay a bill, access medical records, view lab results, or communicate with staff, please visit our patient portal for these services. You can also check out our patient portal overview page for additional information.
Get Started
with Cascade
Contact Cascade Eye & Skin Centers, P.C. today to learn more about eye and skin care from the experts.
Please note, we do not offer online scheduling for the eye specialties listed below, only for routine eye exams. Please use the following numbers to schedule specialty eye appointments or to place an order:
If you are an existing patient looking to refill a prescription, pay a bill, access medical records, view lab results, or communicate with staff,
please visit our patient portal for these services. You can also check out our patient portal overview page for additional information.