Retinopathy Prophylaxis

Retinopathy General Information

Retinopathy is a common medical term that is known to define a certain form of non-inflammatory medical condition that affects the patient’s retina (an important part of the human eye). In most cases, the presence of this clinical illness is due to a disturbance of the amount of blood that should have reached the patient’s retina. In frequent clinical cases, this non-inflammatory clinical disorder is a manifestation of a systemic medical condition.

One of the most common forms of this medical illness is Diabetic Retinopathy. In such cases, the damage to the patient’s retina is due to a complication of diabetes (the presence of this illness damages the retina’s blood vessels). In the early stages of this medical condition, the individual does not present any unusual symptoms (only in some cases, mild vision disturbances were reported). However, as the disease progresses to more severe stages, the individual’s symptoms become more and more disturbing and more and more severe, leading to the complete loss of vision. This medical disorder is one of the main causes of adult blindness in the US. This diabetic complication may arise in both types of this disorder (both in type 1 and type 2 diabetes). Studies have shown that approximately 40% of all adults who are diagnosed with diabetes present a certain degree of this affection of the retina.

Retinopathy Prophylaxis

In this chapter (Retinopathy Prophylaxis), we intend to familiarize you with the most effective ways in which you can avoid experiencing the diabetic form of this clinical disorder. The first important thing that you should know regarding this matter is that one’s risks of developing this type of damage to the retina that is due to diabetes, increases depending on how long that individual has been suffering from diabetes. However, even in the case of patients who are suffering from this metabolic medical condition, there are various ways in which one can ensure healthy vision.

The first important step of the Diabetic Retinopathy Prophylaxis is to start following a healthy diet and to start exercising on a regular basis. One should take his or her therapy against diabetes very seriously (missed doses of insulin or any other oral medications that serve the same purpose must be avoided as much as possible). Each patient should continuously monitor his or her blood sugar levels in order to make sure that they remain within the normal (or at least expected) range.
Some Retinopathy Prophylaxis guide-books encourage the use of glycated hemoglobin tests (which are able to reflect the organism’s blood sugar levels for the previous 2 or 3 months). Keeping one’s blood cholesterol levels under strict control and constant monitoring of one’s blood pressure is as important as checking your blood sugar levels on a daily basis.

Individuals who smoke should quit as soon as possible, as nicotine is known to enhance the patient’s risks of developing various diabetic clinical complications. One should also take stress management classes, as this is a very important issue of the Retinopathy Prophylaxis routine. Individuals who are known to be at a high risk of developing this medical condition of the retina should make sure that they get plenty of rest (sleep). Regular visits to your ophthalmologist should be performed. Your eye doctor will ask you whether you have noticed any vision changes (no matter how insignificant) in order to monitor your condition. If you start to experience hazy, spotty and / or blurry vision, you should immediately alert your personal eye doctor.

Retinopathy Treatment

In this chapter we will try to make you well acquainted with some of the most effective therapy options against the diabetic form of Retinopathy (as this is one of the most common types of this clinical disorder). Physicians prescribe the individual with an appropriate treatment trial for his or her condition depending on the severity of the disorder, on the patient’s general health status, and so on.

Individuals who are diagnosed with this medical condition (in its early stages) do not generally require any specific therapy against it (at least not until their condition progresses). However, the advanced form of Retinopathy is known to generally require immediate medical attention. The most commonly employed therapy options include: focal laser treatment, scatter laser treatment, vitrectomy, and so on. You should discuss with your health care provider the main beneficial results and disadvantages that such a treatment trial is known to imply. Together, you will be able to work out which of these therapy options will suit your medical condition best.