DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Diabetic Retinopathy is retinal damage caused by chronic hyperglycemia. Incredibly common. It causes gradual spotty vision loss

Pathophysiology?

Glucose → nonenzymatic glycosylation of microvasculature of retina → vessels get damage → vessels clog and new vessels form (angiogenesis) → neuronal and retinal damage → blindness

Diagnosis?

On fundoscopy: cotton wool spots, neovascularization, exudates.

Treatment?

Treatment isn’t curative (the optic nerves are part of the CNS, not like the regular cranial nerves; therefore they can’t regenerate after damage.) Treatment is aimed at minimizing neovascularization with “laser photocoagulation” of the retina, plus some anti-VEGF injected into your eyeball. And of course, keeping your sugars well controlled is the best method of prevention.