What are the Four Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy?

Diabetes is a very common metabolic condition in which patients are unable to control their blood sugar levels, causing them to become too high. It can happen when your body doesn’t produce enough or any insulin. Diabetes has the potential to be very serious, and over a long period of time, high blood glucose levels caused by uncontrolled diabetes can damage your heart and kidneys. Many people are also surprised to learn that uncontrolled diabetes can have an impact on your eye health and long-term vision.

Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes and is a leading cause of blindness in adults in the United States. It occurs when persistent high blood sugar levels lead to changes in the blood vessels serving the retina. The damage that occurs happens gradually and normally affects both eyes.

Diabetic retinopathy occurs in four stages.

Mild nonproliferative retinopathy – also known as background retinopathy

This is the earliest stage of the condition, during which tiny bulges called microaneurysms occur in the blood vessels at the back of the eyes. These may leak small amounts of blood, but not enough to affect your vision. The good news is that if you get your diabetes under control, you can prevent the problem from getting worse.

Moderate nonproliferative retinopathy

In moderate stage nonproliferative retinopathy patients experience more significant changes to their retina, including more bleeding. The blood vessels that nourish the retina are blocked, and it’s likely that your vision could eventually be affected. You’ll need to have your eyes screened more frequently so that they can be closely monitored, and you’ll need to be very aware of your vision so that you can let your eye doctor know if you experience any symptoms of diabetic retinopathy, such as spots in your vision.

Severe nonproliferative retinopathy

At this stage, many more blood vessels are blocked, depriving multiple areas of the retina from the blood supply that’s required to keep your eyes healthy. These areas of the retina send signals to the body to grow new blood vessels for nourishment.

Proliferative retinopathy

At the final stage of diabetic retinopathy, the new blood vessels start to grow, developing along the retina and along the surface of the vitreous gel that fills the inside of the eye. These are abnormal and fragile, making them prone to leaking. This can lead to scarring of the macula which can cause permanent vision loss. There is also a risk of retinal detachment, which again can lead to blindness. Most patients find that their vision suddenly worsens, although proliferative retinopathy can occur without symptoms, so it is important to continue to have your eyes regularly screened at the earlier stages of the disease.

Diabetes is no guarantee of diabetic retinopathy, and even if you develop the later stages of the disease, there are treatments that can help prevent new blood vessels from forming. As a result, it is possible to also prevent the complications that can arise and threaten your vision.

For more information about diabetic retinopathy, don’t hesitate to call Quality Eye Care at (904) 601-1300 to speak to our expert eye care team in Gainesville FL.