Advanced Diabetic Retinopathy
If you are suffering from the proliferative diabetic retinopathy or the later stage of diabetic retinopathy then you must need immediate medical treatment. Moreover, if a person develops macular edema, they might also need the same and prompt need as the advanced diabetic retinopathy patients are getting. Depending on the certain issues with a patient’s retina, some treatment options might involve the following:
- Direct medicinal injection into the eye
In case of patients with advanced diabetic retinopathy, there are medications known as vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors which the doctors use to inject directly into the vitreous of the eye. The medicinal injections help to stop the growth of newer, abnormal blood vessels in the retina of the eye and lower the buildup of fluid. There are some side effects of these eye injections as well including a buildup of pressure or infection in the eye. The eye injections will need repetitive dosage in some patients to properly treat diabetic retinopathy.
Moreover, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gives the approval of two drugs i.e., Lucentis and Eylea for the treatment of diabetic macular edema. In addition, another drug known as Avastin can also be helpful for the off-label treatment of patients with macular edema. The medical specialists inject these medications into the eye by using topical anesthesia. The eye injections might also result in mild discomfort, tearing, pain, or burning sensations for almost 24 hours after the injection.
- Photocoagulation
Photocoagulation is a laser treatment which is also known as focal laser treatment that helps to cease or slow down the leakage of fluid and blood in the eye. Certain leaks from the abnormal, newer blood vessels during the procedure receive treatment with the help of laser. The doctors usually perform focal laser treatment or photocoagulation in their office or in eye clinics in a single session. if you are having a blurry vision due to macular edema prior to surgery, the treatment will not help you to return your vision as if it was before. However, it is likely to decrease the chances of macular edema progressing.
- Parentinal photocoagulation
Parentinal photocoagulation is a laser treatment which is also known as scatter laser treatment that helps to shrink the abnormal blood vessels. There is treatment of the areas of the retina farther from the macular with the help of scattered laser burns. during the procedure, the burns might also lead to the shrinkage and scarring of the abnormally grown blood vessels. Panretinal photocoagulation usually occurs in the doctor’s office in two or more sessions. The vision might be blurry for almost a day after getting the procedure. Moreover, there is a possibility of night vision or peripheral vision loss.
- Vitrectomy
Vitrectomy is a procedure that involves a tiny incision in the eye to extract blood from the vitreous (the middle portion) of the eye as well as the scar tissues that are tugging on the retina. Vitrectomy occurs in hospital or in a surgery center by an eye specialist using local or general anesthesia. However, the treatment can slow down or cease the progression of diabetic retinopathy but it is not a complete cure. Future vision loss and retinal damage is still possible as diabetes is a lifelong metabolic disorder. (5, 6)