Diabetic Retinopathy Pain

Diabetic retinopathy causes pain or pressure in your eyes. Other symptoms are blurry vision, double vision and seeing rings, flashing lights, blank spots and dark floating spots, as well as trouble seeing out of the corners of your eyes.

Statistics

• Diabetic retinopathy is the most common eye affliction in people with diabetes and the leading cause of blindness in American adults.

Identification

• Diabetic retinopathy is caused by changes in the retina of the eye, which may include the blood vessels swelling and leaking fluid.

Prevention

• Prevention is achieved by keeping control of your blood sugar level. Take your diabetic medications, be physically active, eat nutritious foods and check your blood sugar level every day; this slows the onset and progression of the disease and will help prevent eye pain.

Significance

• The early stages of diabetic retinopathy can occur without symptoms or pain. Symptoms may not occur until the disease progresses into a later stage.

Solution

• Laser surgery and vitrectomy treatments are 90 percent successful in preventing severe eye damage and retinopathy pain. Prescribed pain medication can also offer temporary relief of eye pain.

Stages

• The early stage of diabetic retinopathy is called non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The advanced form is termed proliferative retinopathy and is accompanied by eye pain.