If you have diabetes, this article will be very important for you. Sometimes you may feel that your vision is a little blurry and not as clear as usual. This may be due to a problem with the small blood vessels inside your eyes. If left untreated, this condition can lead to gradual or complete loss of your vision. Today we are talking about this serious condition caused by diabetes, but which can be detected and controlled quickly.
Why is this happening? What are the reasons?
Simply put, it all starts with your blood sugar levels not being properly controlled. When your blood sugar levels are high for a long time, it damages blood vessels throughout your body. This affects everything from the blood vessels in your heart to the tiny blood vessels behind your eyes.
The retina is the thin layer at the back of the eye that sends images to the brain, much like the film on a camera. Without healthy blood vessels, the retina cannot function properly.
Now, when these blood vessels are damaged, the body tries to repair them. To do this, the body starts producing more of a special protein called VEGF (Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor) . While this is not a problem for healthy eyes, when the eyes of someone with diabetes produce more of this VEGF, the damaged blood vessels become even weaker.
Over time, these weakened blood vessels burst, causing blood and fluid to leak into the retina, the inner layer of the eye . This swelling of the retina is called diabetic retinopathy .
When this leaking fluid accumulates in the macula, the part of the retina that helps us see things clearly and sharply, it also swells. That's what we call diabetic macular edema, or Diabetic Macular Edema (DME) .
Edema is the medical term for swelling caused by excess fluid. So DME is a condition in which the macula fills with fluid and swells due to diabetes.
Diabetes is the main cause of this, but it can sometimes be caused by other factors, such as cataract surgery, other eye surgeries, and macular degeneration.
Who is most at risk of developing this condition?
There are several factors that can increase your risk, and it's important to be aware of these.
| Risk factor | What does that mean? |
|---|---|
| Uncontrolled health conditions | Your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels remain high. |
| Lifestyle | Smoking and sitting in one place without physical exercise. |
| Other health conditions | You have had diabetic retinopathy for a long time. |
| Special occasions | The risk of this condition may increase slightly during pregnancy. |
Almost everyone with diabetes is at risk. So the best thing to do is to be aware of this and take care of your health.
What are the main types of DME?
DME can be mainly divided into two types.
| DME type | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| Focal DME | Small leaks of fluid occur in the macula. |
| Diffuse DME | Fluid leakage and swelling spread throughout the macula. In this type, vision can become more severely impaired. |
So what do we do? When should we see a doctor?
This is the most important thing. If you have diabetes, even if you don't have any symptoms, it's important to have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist at least once a year . This condition may not show any symptoms in the early stages.
But if you have any of these symptoms, see your doctor immediately .
- Blurred vision.
- The shape of things you see (e.g. door and window frames) appears stretched and wrinkled.
- Colors don't appear as clear and bright as they used to.
- Seeing black spots or floaters in your vision.
Instead of waiting and saying, "Let's wait a little longer," seek medical advice immediately if you notice any of these symptoms. The sooner you start treatment, the greater your chances of preserving your precious eyesight.
Take-Home Message
- DME is a condition in which the macula of the eye becomes inflamed due to diabetes. If left untreated, it can lead to permanent vision loss.
- The main reason for this is that blood sugar levels remain high and uncontrolled for a long time.
- Keep your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels under control. Avoid smoking completely.
- If you have diabetes, even if you have no symptoms, be sure to have your eyes checked by an ophthalmologist at least once a year .
- If you experience symptoms such as blurred vision or blurred vision, talk to your doctor immediately without delay.
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