Diabetic Retinopathy Risk Factors
Anyone with any type of diabetes can suffer from diabetic retinopathy including the people suffering from type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes. The prolonged duration of diabetes is the major risk factor behind the development of diabetic retinopathy. The risk of getting diabetic retinopathy increases the longer you have diabetes. In addition, the consistent hyperglycemia in diabetic patients either due to a medical condition or poor management can increase your risk of developing diabetic retinopathy.
More than half of the people having type 1 and type 2 diabetes will eventually develop diabetic retinopathy over time. Fortunately, it is possible to lower the risk of getting diabetic retinopathy by managing your diabetes. Moreover, other than diabetes some other factors such as older age, smoking, pregnancy, blood pressure, and hyperlipidemia can put you at a higher risk of getting diabetic retinopathy.
Anyone suffering from any type of diabetes can develop the condition of diabetic retinopathy including the people with gestational, type 1, and type 2 diabetes. The risk of developing diabetic retinopathy is always higher when you have diabetes. more than half of the people with diabetes over time develop diabetic retinopathy. Fortunately, you can always lower your risk of getting diabetic retinopathy by managing your blood sugar levels.
Women with the condition of diabetes who develop gestational diabetes or already had diabetes before becoming pregnant face more risk of getting diabetic retinopathy. If you are pregnant and have diabetes as well then you must go for a detailed dilated eye examination as soon as possible. Moreover, the condition of diabetic retinopathy can cause serious damage to the growing fetus as well as the pregnant mother so an eye exam will be helpful in the early detection and management.
Anyone with the condition of diabetes can get diabetic retinopathy. The risk of developing diabetic retinopathy can increase due to the following risk factors:
Having diabetes for a prolonged period
The longer a person has diabetes, the greater is the risk of getting diabetic retinopathy with time. Almost 90% of the people with prolonged type 1 diabetes for a minimum of over 10 years develop some degree of diabetic retinopathy. The percentage of those who have the history of type 2 diabetes for almost 10 years but they do not inject insulin is around 67%. In addition, among the people with type 2 diabetes over a 10 years disease duration who are injecting insulin is almost 79%.
The constant state of hyperglycemia in diabetic patients is the alarming risk factor for the development of diabetic retinopathy. The higher the blood sugar levels a person has, the greater is the risk of getting diabetic retinopathy. People with a persistent increase in glycated hemoglobin level, which shows the blood glucose level are at a higher risk of getting diabetic retinopathy.