Treatment of diabetic retinopathy

Diabetes is a disease that negatively affects the entire body, including the organs of vision. The most powerful impact the disease has on the retina, the defeat of which is called diabetic retinopathy. In addition diabetes increases the possibility of developing diabetic cataracts and secondary glaucoma.

The main danger of the sugar diabetes  is that because of the constant high level of sugar in blood the vessels are damaged – their walls become permeable and fragile. Among others the vessels supplying the retina with oxygen and nutrients are affected.

Initially, the negative impact of diabetes on the retina is manifested by the separation of the liquid fraction of blood (plasma) into the retina, the development of swelling and, in the case of inclusion in the process of the macula, gradual deterioration of vision. This stage of diabetic retinopathy is called non-proliferative.

At the next, proliferative stage, oxygen starvation of the retina develops, in response to which new vessels are formed in it – neovascularization occurs. The fragility and permeability of newly formed vessels leads to frequent hemorrhages in the retina and vitreous body, which causes floating opacities (flies) to appear in the field of vision, and vision continues to decline. Further development of diabetic retinopathy is fraught with retinal detachment and glaucoma.

The initial stages of the disease may be asymptomatic or with mild symptoms, so that the patient does not suspect the harmful effects of diabetes on the retina of his eyes. Perceptible symptoms appear in the later stages of the disease and quickly increase ("avalanche effect"). Therefore, for early recognition of retinal lesions, patients with diabetes are recommended to be examined every six months by an ophthalmologist.

Examination in Department of Ophthalmology of the "Oxford Medical" clinic in Kiev is carried out by an ophthalmologist-retinologist - a narrow specialist in diabetic retinopathy and retinal diseases.

The check-up includes examination of the fundus (previously the pupil is expanded with the help of special drops), visual acuity testing, measurement of intraocular pressure, determination of refraction of the eye (refraction of light in the patient's eye), examination of the structures of the eyeball under a microscope. The condition of the macula is checked with the help of OCT (optical coherence tomography), the results of which are given to the patient (color pictures and a conclusion on the result of the study). 

If necessary, microperimetry, fundus photo and selection of glasses is carried out.

The course of treatment is assigned to each patient individually and depends on the stage of the disease, the degree of compensation for diabetes and the presence or absence of edema in the macula. The most effective method of protecting the retina from the harmful effects of diabetes are intraocular injections of anti-VEGF drugs that block the growth of new vessels and associated with their fragility and permeability problems.

If necessary, the appropriate concomitant conservative treatment is prescribed.

You can make an appointment with the ophthalmologists of the clinic by calling us or by writing to the chat operator on the website.