Lasers and Diabetic Retinopathy CT

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition in which high blood sugar causes retinal blood vessels to leak blood and in more advanced cases new blood vessels grow. The danger with this eye condition is that vision will be impaired, sometimes significantly.

The best way to treat diabetic retinopathy is to avoid it altogether. This can be done by controlling blood sugar levels as well as keeping blood pressure under control. However, diabetics are encouraged to have their eyes checked every year, as diabetic retinopathy may occur with little or no warning. While early treatment may not reverse any vision loss that has occurred, it can slow the progression of the condition and keep the diabetic's eyes as healthy as possible.

Lasers are commonly used to treat diabetic retinopathy today. A highly effective procedure that can reduce the risk of vision loss is laser photocoagulation. This treatment seals or destroys leaking blood vessels in the retina using the heat from a laser. There are two approaches surgeons take when treating diabetic retinopathy with laser photocoagulation.

Focal photocoagulation is a treatment that seals individual leaking blood vessels in a small area of the retina using tiny laser burns. Typically these vessels lie near the macula. The treatment is usually done in a single session as an outpatient procedure.

Scatter (pan-retinal) photocoagulation is a treatment used to slow the growth of abnormal blood vessels using scattered laser burns. This treatment encompasses more blood vessels and a larger area of the retina, and may require two or more treatment sessions. With scatter photocoagulation, there is some risk of loss of peripheral vision or night vision.

Anesthetic eyedrops are applied to minimize pain during the photocoagulation procedure. When the laser is applied to the eye, the patient may see flashes of light and feel slight stinging. Vision will be blurry in the day or so following a photocoagulation procedure.

Another treatment for diabetic retinopathy is a vitrectomy. This surgical procedure is effective in preventing vision loss when a patient has experienced bleeding into the vitreous gel (vitreous hemorrhage) or has retinal detachment. There are risks involved with this treatment, and it is typically recommended only when complications or severe scar tissue has developed.

Dr. Gold has extensive experience in diagnosing patients with diabetic retinopathy. Should you require treatment, Dr. Gold will refer you to a retinal specialist.

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