Aditya Jyot Eye Hospital

A CASE OF PROLIFERATIVE DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

Mr. X, 48 year old / male came to AJEH complaining about reduction in vision in both eyes since 2 days. He was a known diabetic since 16 years and hypertensive since 3 years, under treatment. He was diagnosed with Proliferative diabetic retinopathy in both eyes and had a history of receiving Anti VEGF. His vision in both eyes was poor, around finger counting half meter.

Eyesight is one of the most important senses; around 80% of what we perceive comes through our sense of sight. Our eyes function like a camera. It has both a lens and a screen/film. Cornea acts as a lens and Retina is like the film of a camera, which sends the image to the brain for processing. Diabetes affects the retina in the long run. This is when high blood sugar levels cause damage to blood vessels in the retina.

• Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of vision loss in working-age adults (20 to 65 years)
• 1 in 3 people living with diabetes have some degree of DR
• 1 in 10 develop a vision-threatening form of the disease

(Source: http://atlas.iapb.org/vision-trends/diabetic-retinopathy/)

(Source: https://www.medscape.org/viewarticle/812590_2)

The patient had advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy - vitreous hemorrhage with tractional retinal detachment in both eyes. He consulted Dr. S. Natarajan, a specialist in Vitreo-retinal surgery, who planned a surgical procedure for the right eye followed by the left eye. In spite of being diagnosed at a very late stage, his vision improved significantly post-surgery.

The problem with diabetic retinopathy is that the symptoms that specialists appreciate appear at a late stage due to complications. Therefore, it is very important for all diabetics to get an eye retinal examination done every year to rule out diabetic retinopathy. Take care of your diabetes by regularly monitoring your blood sugar levels. Take your medications as directed and manage your diet carefully. Talk to family and friends about your vision and let them know if you are having trouble reading, getting around or doing daily chores.

“DON’T LET DIABETES LIMIT THE VISION OF YOUR FUTURE”