Wei Laboratories, Inc.
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What is Loss of Vision associated with Diabetes?
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.
Blood vessels damaged from diabetic retinopathy can cause vision loss in two ways:
• Fragile, abnormal blood vessels can develop and leak blood into the center of the eye, blurring vision. This is
proliferative retinopathy and is the fourth and most advanced stage of the disease.
• Fluid can leak into the center of the macula, the part of the eye where sharp, straight-ahead vision occurs. The fluid
makes the macula swell, blurring vision. This condition is called macular edema. It can occur at any stage of
diabetic retinopathy, although it is more likely to occur as the disease progresses. About half of the people with
proliferative retinopathy also have macular edema.
Symptoms
Often there are no symptoms in the early stages of the disease, nor is there any pain. Don't wait for symptoms. Be sure
to have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year.
Blurred vision may occur when the macula—the part of the retina that provides sharp central vision—swells from
leaking fluid. This condition is called macular edema.
If new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina, they can bleed into the eye and block vision.
Causes
• Leaking blood vessels.
• Retinal swelling (macular edema).
• Pale, fatty deposits on the retina--signs of leaking blood vessels.
• Damaged nerve tissue.
• Any changes to the blood vessels
Western Medicine Treatment
During the first three stages of diabetic retinopathy, no treatment is needed, unless you have macular edema. To
prevent progression of diabetic retinopathy, people with diabetes should control their levels of blood sugar, blood
pressure, and blood cholesterol.
Proliferative retinopathy is treated with laser surgery. This procedure is called scatter laser treatment. Scatter laser
treatment helps to shrink the abnormal blood vessels. Your doctor places 1,000 to 2,000 laser burns in the areas of the
retina away from the macula, causing the abnormal blood vessels to shrink. Because a high number of laser burns are
necessary, two or more sessions usually are required to complete treatment. Although you may notice some loss of
your side vision, scatter laser treatment can save the rest of your sight. Scatter laser treatment may slightly reduce your
color vision and night vision.
Scatter laser treatment works better before the fragile, new blood vessels have started to bleed. That is why it is
important to have regular, comprehensive dilated eye exams. Even if bleeding has started, scatter laser treatment may
still be possible, depending on the amount of bleeding.
If the bleeding is severe, you may need a surgical procedure called a vitrectomy. During a vitrectomy, blood is removed
from the center of your eye.
Macular edema is treated with laser surgery. This procedure is called focal laser treatment. Your doctor places up to
several hundred small laser burns in the areas of retinal leakage surrounding the macula. These burns slow the
leakage of fluid and reduce the amount of fluid in the retina. The surgery is usually completed in one session. Further
treatment may be needed.
A patient may need focal laser surgery more than once to control the leaking fluid. If you have macular edema in both
eyes and require laser surgery, generally only one eye will be treated at a time, usually several weeks apart.
Focal laser treatment stabilizes vision. In fact, focal laser treatment reduces the risk of vision loss by 50 percent. In a
small number of cases, if vision is lost, it can be improved.
Alternative Medicine
There is a significant progress using alternative medicine in this area.
If you want a referral of an expert alternative medicine practitioner in your
local area, please use our free referral service by calling our toll-free at
1-888-919-1188, or e-mail us to wei@weilab.com, or click the button
at the right to have us contact you.
Information gathered from nih.gov
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.
Blood vessels damaged from diabetic retinopathy can cause vision loss in two ways:
• Fragile, abnormal blood vessels can develop and leak blood into the center of the eye, blurring vision. This is
proliferative retinopathy and is the fourth and most advanced stage of the disease.
• Fluid can leak into the center of the macula, the part of the eye where sharp, straight-ahead vision occurs. The fluid
makes the macula swell, blurring vision. This condition is called macular edema. It can occur at any stage of
diabetic retinopathy, although it is more likely to occur as the disease progresses. About half of the people with
proliferative retinopathy also have macular edema.
Symptoms
Often there are no symptoms in the early stages of the disease, nor is there any pain. Don't wait for symptoms. Be sure
to have a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year.
Blurred vision may occur when the macula—the part of the retina that provides sharp central vision—swells from
leaking fluid. This condition is called macular edema.
If new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina, they can bleed into the eye and block vision.
Causes
• Leaking blood vessels.
• Retinal swelling (macular edema).
• Pale, fatty deposits on the retina--signs of leaking blood vessels.
• Damaged nerve tissue.
• Any changes to the blood vessels
Western Medicine Treatment
During the first three stages of diabetic retinopathy, no treatment is needed, unless you have macular edema. To
prevent progression of diabetic retinopathy, people with diabetes should control their levels of blood sugar, blood
pressure, and blood cholesterol.
Proliferative retinopathy is treated with laser surgery. This procedure is called scatter laser treatment. Scatter laser
treatment helps to shrink the abnormal blood vessels. Your doctor places 1,000 to 2,000 laser burns in the areas of the
retina away from the macula, causing the abnormal blood vessels to shrink. Because a high number of laser burns are
necessary, two or more sessions usually are required to complete treatment. Although you may notice some loss of
your side vision, scatter laser treatment can save the rest of your sight. Scatter laser treatment may slightly reduce your
color vision and night vision.
Scatter laser treatment works better before the fragile, new blood vessels have started to bleed. That is why it is
important to have regular, comprehensive dilated eye exams. Even if bleeding has started, scatter laser treatment may
still be possible, depending on the amount of bleeding.
If the bleeding is severe, you may need a surgical procedure called a vitrectomy. During a vitrectomy, blood is removed
from the center of your eye.
Macular edema is treated with laser surgery. This procedure is called focal laser treatment. Your doctor places up to
several hundred small laser burns in the areas of retinal leakage surrounding the macula. These burns slow the
leakage of fluid and reduce the amount of fluid in the retina. The surgery is usually completed in one session. Further
treatment may be needed.
A patient may need focal laser surgery more than once to control the leaking fluid. If you have macular edema in both
eyes and require laser surgery, generally only one eye will be treated at a time, usually several weeks apart.
Focal laser treatment stabilizes vision. In fact, focal laser treatment reduces the risk of vision loss by 50 percent. In a
small number of cases, if vision is lost, it can be improved.
Alternative Medicine
There is a significant progress using alternative medicine in this area.
If you want a referral of an expert alternative medicine practitioner in your
local area, please use our free referral service by calling our toll-free at
1-888-919-1188, or e-mail us to wei@weilab.com, or click the button
at the right to have us contact you.
Information gathered from nih.gov
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