Your Guide to Understanding and Dealing with Type 2 Diabetes: What You Need to Know by Keith Souter

Author:Keith Souter
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Summersdale Publishers Ltd

Stages of retinopathy

There are four ever more extensive stages of retinopathy.

1. Background retinopathy

This is mild and does not affect vision. There may be some tiny leaks of fluid and tiny microaneurysms and tiny haemorrhages on various parts of the retina. These will be seen as tiny dots and blots on the retina on eye examination with an ophthalmoscope.

2. Pre-proliferative retinopathy

This is more extensive than background retinopathy. There may be some exudates, which look like tiny blobs of fat on the retina. There are signs of blood flow becoming restricted, but no evidence that new blood vessels are growing.

3. Maculopathy

This is when there is damage to your macula. This is serious because it affects the very central part of vision, so the person may not see straight ahead and may not be able to read because he or she can only see with the peripheral parts of his or her visual fields.

4. Proliferative retinopathy

This occurs when damaged blood vessels are stimulated by chemicals called growth factors. These stimulate new blood vessel growth from the damaged blood vessels. Thus the blood vessels are proliferating, hence the name of proliferative retinopathy. This is the eye’s attempt to repair the damage. Unfortunately, these new blood vessels are delicate and friable, meaning that they burst and bleed easily. This can seriously impair vision.

Proliferative retinopathy can result in:

Retinal detachment – when the retina is pulled off the back of the eye. This can occur because of increased fibre deposition that takes place in retinopathy.

Retinal detachment is considered a medical emergency and needs urgent treatment. It can cause sudden partial visual loss. It can also lead to total blindness in the eye. It is more common in:

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