Retinopathy | BelAir

People who suffer from diabetes can also develop an eye disease called retinopathy. This is when high blood sugar levels cause damage to blood vessels in the retina of your eye. Blood vessels can swell and leak or close, stopping blood from passing through. Our Bel Air team understands the challenges people with retinopathy face and are here to help you, every step of the way.

There are two main stages of diabetic eye disease – non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

NPDR is the early stage of the disease and many people with diabetes have it. If you have NPDR, your retina swells because tiny blood vessels in your eyes leak. If you have NPDR, your vision is likely very blurry a lot of the time.

PDR is the more advanced stage of retinopathy. It happens when the retina starts growing new blood vessels. This is called neovascularization. These fragile new vessels often bleed into the vitreous, a gel-like substance that helps your eye retain its shape. If they only bleed a little, you might see dark floaters, or it might block all vision. Our highly qualified Bel Air team is trained to evaluate you for all types of retinopathy-related conditions.

Diabetic Retinopathy Symptoms

You can have diabetic retinopathy and not know it. This is because it often has no symptoms in its early stages. As it progresses, you will notice symptoms such as seeing an increasing number of floaters, changes in your vision from blurry to clear, or seeing blank or dark areas in your field of vision.

Diabetic retinopathy symptoms usually affect both eyes. If you already have a diabetes diagnosis, it’s especially important that you have an eye exam. Our Bel Air Accent Eyes team is standing by to help you schedule your appointment.