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Telephone: 01245 933572
Email: info@support4sight.org.uk
Support 4 Sight
17 Cottage Place
Chelmsford
Essex
CM1 1NL
This is a complication of diabetes where the blood vessels at the back of the eye leak and rupture with loss of vision. The high blood glucose levels caused by diabetes affect the network of blood vessels supplying the retina at the back of the eye. They can become blocked, they leak or they can grow incorrectly. There are different stages of this and how your vision is affected will depend on the severity of the changes to the retinal blood vessels and the area of the retina that is involved.
There are things you can do to help control your risk or stop it from getting worse such as:
- Doing your best to keep your blood glucose level in your target range consistently
- Controlling your blood pressure within your target range
- Controlling cholesterol levels
- Taking regular exercise and eating a healthy diet to help maintain a healthy weight
- Giving up smoking
- Attending your diabetic health checks
Attending regular diabetic eye screening appointments as advised.
However, there are some risk factors you cannot control:
- How long you’ve had diabetes. The longer you have had it, the more likely you are to develop some form of retinopathy
- Age: Developing diabetes is more likely as you get older
- Ethnicity: If you or your family are from India, Pakistan, Bangladesh or Sri Lanka (South Asian communities), or from an African Caribbean background, you’re more likely to get type 2 diabetes. The factors behind this aren’t fully understood but are thought to involve insulin problems, genetics, diet and lifestyle.
- Pregnancy: Particular risk if you are already diabetic or had gestational diabetes before.
Most of the eye problems caused by diabetes can be treated, but treatment is more effective when picked up as soon as possible. Having your eyes checked and attending diabetic eye screening can pick up any changes.
For further information or to arrange a visit to our support centre please call 01245 933572 or email info@support4sight.org.uk. Or visit the RNIB website
www.rnib.org.uk