October 15, 2021
One of the main causes of blindness in adults, diabetic retinopathy is a complication that can be avoided with regular diabetes control. Ophthalmologist Lilianne Duarte explains how it appears and how it should be done:
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes in the eye, and is the most common cause of blindness in the adult population between the ages of 20 and 74. One in three people with diabetes will develop diabetic retinopathy during their lifetime.
The first prevention of diabetic retinopathy is early diagnosis of diabetes and good metabolic control. Vision loss from diabetic retinopathy can be prevented if diagnosed early and treated by the ophthalmologist with either laser or intravitreal injections.
Diagnosis is made by identification of retinal lesions by an ophthalmologist. As diabetic retinopathy is mostly asymptomatic in its early stages, regular ophthalmological surveillance is essential for early detection of the disease, in order to prevent it from progressing to more serious stages.
It is therefore important for all diabetic patients to follow the advice of their diabetologist and to be seen regularly by an ophthalmologist.
This and other advice is available on the TSF website.
With the support of the Portuguese Society of Ophthalmology.
