

More frequent medical eye examinations may be necessary after the diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy. Pregnant women with diabetes should schedule an appointment in the first trimester because retinopathy can progress quickly during pregnancy. People with diabetes should schedule examinations at least once a year. You can significantly lower your risk of vision loss by maintaining strict control of your blood sugar and visiting your ophthalmologist regularly. If you have diabetes, early detection of diabetic retinopathy is the best protection against loss of vision. In this test a dye is injected in your arm and photos of your eye are taken to detect where fluid is leaking. If your ophthalmologist finds diabetic retinopathy, he or she may order color photographs of the retina or a special test called fluorescein angiography to find out if you need treatment.

Unfortunately, there are no effective treatments for macular ischemia.Ī medical eye examination is the only way to find changes inside your eye. Vision blurs because the macula no longer receives sufficient blood supply to work properly. Macular ischemia occurs when small blood vessels (capillaries) close. Laser treatment can be used to help control vision loss from macular edema. Vision loss may be mild to severe, but even in the worst cases, peripheral (side) vision continues to function. It is the most common cause of visual loss in diabetes. The swelling is caused by fluid leaking from retinal blood vessels. Macular edema is swelling, or thickening, of the macula, a small area in the center of the retina that allows us to see fine details clearly.
