Diabetic retinopathy is
the most common diabetic eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in American adults. It is caused by changes in the blood
vessels of the retina.
In some people with diabetic retinopathy, blood vessels may swell and
leak fluid. In other people, abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive
tissue at the back of the eye. A healthy retina is necessary for good vision.
If you have diabetic
retinopathy, at first you may not notice changes to your vision. But over time, diabetic retinopathy can get worse and cause
vision loss. Diabetic retinopathy usually affects both eyes.
Diabetic retinopathy has four stages:
- Mild Nonproliferative Retinopathy.
At this earliest stage, microaneurysms occur. They are small areas of balloon-like swelling in the retina's tiny blood
vessels.
- Moderate Nonproliferative Retinopathy. As the disease progresses,
some blood vessels that nourish the retina are blocked.
- Severe Nonproliferative Retinopathy.
Many more blood vessels are blocked, depriving several areas of the retina with their blood supply. These areas of the retina
send signals to the body to grow new blood vessels for nourishment.
- Proliferative Retinopathy.
At this advanced stage, the signals sent by the retina for nourishment trigger the growth of new blood vessels. This condition
is called proliferative retinopathy. These new blood vessels are abnormal and fragile. They grow along the retina and along
the surface of the clear, vitreous gel that fills the inside of the eye. By themselves, these blood vessels do not cause symptoms
or vision loss. However, they have thin, fragile walls. If they leak blood, severe vision loss and even blindness can result.
