Diabetic retinopathy

Definition

Diabetic retinopathy is damage to the eye's retina that occurs with long-term diabetes.

Alternative Names

Retinopathy - diabetic

Causes

Diabetic retinopathy is caused by damage to blood vessels of the retina, the light-sensitive inner layer of the eye.

There are two types: non-proliferative or proliferative.

• Non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy is the early stage of the disease and is less severe. Blood vessels in the eye start to leak fluid into the retina, which leads to blurred vision.
• Proliferative retinopathy is the more advanced form of the disease, and more severe. New blood vessels start to grow in the eye. These new vessels are fragile and can bleed (hemorrhage), which may cause vision loss and scarring of the retina.

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness in working-age Americans. People with both type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes are at risk for this condition.

Having more severe diabetes for a longer period of time increases the chance of getting retinopathy. Retinopathy is also more likely to occur earlier and be more severe if your diabetes is poorly controlled. Almost everyone who has had diabetes for more than 30 years will show signs of diabetic retinopathy.

References

Sydorova M, Lee MS. Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Levels in Vitreous and Serum of Patients with either Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy or Proliferative Vitreoretinopathy. Ophthalmic Res. 2005 Jun 29;37(4):188-190.

Singerman L. Findings of the Phase 2 Trial of the Safety and Efficacy of Pegaptanib Sodium (Macugen™) in Patients With Diabetic Macular Edema. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2005;46: E-Abstract 4674.

Rosenblatt RJ, Benson WJ. Diabetic Retinopathy. In: Yanoff M, ed. Opthalmology. 2nd ed. St. Louis, MO: Mosby; 2004;877-887.

American Diabetes Association (ADA). Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2008;31:S1-S12.