Diabetic Retinopathy

What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy is a diabetes complication that causes eye problems. It damages the blood vessels inside the retina and can cause blurred vision, vision floaters, and difficulty seeing colors.

If left untreated, it can cause blindness.

Diabetic Retinopathy Rendia Video — Describes early symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy such as blurriness or floaters, which can lead to severe vision loss if left untreated. Though the damage is irreversible, topic cautions patients with diabetes to seek eye examinations on a regular basis, regardless of whether symptoms are noted, to avoid long-term damage.

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Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR)

Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, or NPDR, is a form of diabetic retinopathy. NDPR occurs when diabetes damages small blood vessels within the retina. These vessels start to leak both fluid and blood, gradually causing the retina to thicken or swell. Over time, the swelling, or edema, thickens the retina causing the vision to become blurred.

NPDR Rendia Video — Describes the occurrence of Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy when high-blood sugar damages small blood vessels within the retina, leading to edema, and blurred vision.

Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR)

Another form of diabetic retinopathy is called proliferative diabetic retinopathy, or PDR, which occurs when new and fragile blood vessels grow abnormally from the retina into the vitreous. This can result in bleeding, scarring, and contraction of the vitreous, which may lead to retinal detachment. PDR can cause severe vision problems, and it can even lead to blindness. It must be treated as soon as possible.

PDR Rendia Video — Shows how blood vessels growing abnormally from the retina into the vitreous lead to Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR), requiring immediate treatment.

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Keep an Eye on Diabetes

If you are under a doctor's care for diabetes, you probably know that you are at risk for diabetic eye disease. If this is news to you, don't panic! The good news is most diabetic eye disease can be treated before it causes vision loss.

What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Diabetes cases are growing rapidly across the world. In the United States alone, more than 34 million people have diabetes, and a significant percentage of people in the U.S. may have elevated blood sugars without realizing it.

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