Eye Center for Diabetic Retinopathy Treatment

What is diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetes affects the small blood vessels in the retina of the eye. If you think of your eye as having a small room inside, the retina is positioned as the wallpaper in the room and absorbs light to create what we perceive as vision. Diabetes over months and years causes the small blood vessels in the retina to become thin. When the blood vessels become too thin, the blood vessels begin to leak and bleed. If they are not treated early, before damage occurs, it will result in blindness. The American Diabetic Association and the American Academy of Ophthalmology recommend every person with diabetes have a dilated retinal examination each year for early detection and treatment. Good vision is easier to maintain if visual loss is prevented rather than trying to recover vision once a patient notices that vision is becoming poor.