Looking for
an Optelec Dealer near you? Simply select your state and click GO.
Diabetic Retinopathy
What is diabetic retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is an eye disease affecting the blood vessels in the retina that occurs among diabetic patients. The proliferative form can lead to blindness. Swelling in the central area of the retina (macula) can cause visual impairment.
Who is most at risk of developing diabetic retinopathy?
Those people who have been diabetic for may years are most likely to develop diabetic retinopathy, but this eye disease is a threat for all individuals with diabetes. Among patients with juvenile-onset diabetes, 24 percent will have diabetic retinopathy after 5 years; almost 60 percent after 10 years; and 80 percent after 15 years.
Additionally, other conditions brought on by diabetes, such as cataracts and glaucoma, are especially threatening. Patients should also be encouraged to control their blood pressure.
What is the best defense against diabetic retinopathy?
Early diagnosis of diabetes and the effective control of blood sugar levels and hypertension increase the chance of controlling this eye disease. All diabetic patients should have regular, comprehensive eye examinations through a dilated pupil even before any vision problems appear.
Diabetic retinopathy causes
blood vessels to swell or bulge (figure 1); to rupture and leak (figure 2);
and resultant scar tissue shrinks the vitreous and pulls the retina, tearing
or detaching it (figure3).
Optelec is a developer of Low vision and Video Magnifier vision aids for people who suffer from cataracts, glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, and macular degeneration.
Customer
Service
E-mail: CustomerService@Optelec.com
(978) 392-0707 ext. 100
(800) 828-1056
Sales
& Marketing
E-mail: Sales@Optelec.com
(978) 392-0707 ext. 100
(800) 828-1056
Marketing
E-mail: Marketing@Optelec.com
(978) 392-0707 ext. 100
(800) 828-1056
See For Yourself
©1999 Optelec U.S., Inc. All Rights Reserved.