• Patient might not have symptoms in early stages of diabetic retinopathy. As per condition progresses, patient faces:
• Spots or dark strings floating in vision (floaters)
• Blurred vision
• Fluctuating vision
• Impaired coloured vision
• Dark or empty areas in vision
• Vision less

• Doctor will perform a dilated eye exam.
• Eye exam includes:
• Visual acuity testing
• Ophthalmoscopy and slit lamp exam
• Tonometry
• Controlling blood sugar is very important and for that consultation with endocrinologist (diabetic doctor) will be required, who will suggest some medications to control diabetic retinopathy.

There are few treatment options for diabetic retinopathy:

INJECTIONS: Medicines called anti- VEGF drugs can slow down or reverse diabetic retinopathy, as these drugs helps to block the problems like, leaking blood vessels and swelling the macula (a part of the retina), and helps to improve vision.

Few common injections are:

Avastin (bevacizumab)

Lucentis (ranibizumab)

Eylea (afilibercept)

Patient need to take these injections once a month for at least three months. Over the time patient may need injections less often.

PANRETINAL PHOTOCOAGULATION (LASER TREATMENT): This treatment is also known as scatter laser surgery. It helps to reduce swelling in retina by making the blood vessels that causes vision problem.

• This treatment will be done in OPD, by using numbing medicine in eye.
• Than doctor will aim laser in eye using a special lens.
• Patient may need more than one session of scatter laser surgery.

VITRECTOMY (SURGERY): This treatment is opted when there is a lot of bleeding in retina or a lot of scars in eye.

• During this surgery, doctor will make very small opening in eye wall and remove most of the vitreous from eye by using suction tool.
• Doctor can use either numbing eye drops or general anaesthesia during the surgery.
• If patient requires surgery in both eyes than first one eye will be treated and after recovery of treated eye another eye will be treated.

For the treatment doctor may use:

• Laser or freeze treatment to reattach or repair retina.
• Inject a bubble of air or special gas in eye to hold retina in place.
• Replace the vitreous with clear fluid, like silicone oil.

• Patient my see flashes of light and eye may sting or feel uncomfortable just after the surgery.
• Patient’s eye will be blurry throughout the day of the surgery.
• After vitrectomy patient need to wear eye patch for a day.
• Use eye drops to reduce swelling and prevent infection.
• During the healing period, avoid driving, intense exercise, and heavy lifting.
• Need to take off from work at least for 2-4 weeks.
• Avoid travelling in high altitudes and by flights while having bubbles in eye.
• If doctor use silicone oil in treatment, than patient will need second surgery to remove it.

• Loss of peripheral (side) vision, colour vision and night vision.
• Retinal detachment
• Glaucoma
• Blindness
• Poor control of blood sugar level