About 26% of people with diabetes develop diabetic retinopathy (DR), a serious eye condition that can lead to severe vision changes or permanent blindness.
If you or a loved one has recently received a diabetic eye disease diagnosis, this article addresses your top questions, including:
What is the focus of diabetic retinopathy (DR) treatment?
How do I find service providers for diabetic retinopathy?
What lifestyle changes should a person with DR make?
How can family members and friends help a loved one diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy?
What changes should be made in the home for someone diagnosed with DR?
What medical treatments are available for DR?
Where can I get more information about DR?
What is the focus of diabetic retinopathy (DR) treatment?
Because diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes, most treatments for early-stage DR (non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy, or NPDR) focus on managing diabetes symptoms. This includes:
Lowering blood sugar
Maintaining a healthy weight
Making lifestyle changes to improve your overall health
In the advanced stage (proliferative diabetic retinopathy, or PDR), doctors might turn to more advanced treatments like medication or surgery. To learn more about the symptoms of diabetic retinopathy and how they progress, see Symptoms and Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy (DR).
No matter how far the disease has progressed, one of the most important first steps after a DR diagnosis is to find a trusted specialist for treatment.
How do I find service providers for diabetic retinopathy?
Many family doctors, primary care providers, and hospitals keep lists of ophthalmologists and other trusted specialists who can help with eye conditions like diabetic retinopathy.
If you have private medical insurance, your insurance provider is also a good place to ask for in-network referrals.
If you’re not sure where to start, Ability Central offers a Service Locator tool full of nonprofit organizations supporting people with vision loss and eye disease.
What lifestyle changes should I make if I have diabetic retinopathy?
Lifestyle changes can help people with DR maintain their vision and overall health. If DR is caught early enough, these changes can slow or even reverse the progression of symptoms.
Lifestyle changes for diabetic retinopathy include:
Maintaining a healthy diet with a balance of fruits, vegetables, and protein.
Controlling blood pressure.
Exercising at least 30 minutes per day, three to five days a week.
Avoiding smoking.
Joining a lifestyle change program, particularly one recognized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Keeping up with medical visits, especially eye exams. If you’re worried about diabetic eye disease risks, consider getting an eye exam twice a year or more.
How can family members and friends help a loved one diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy?
There are many ways family members can support their loved one who has recently been diagnosed with DR. These include:
Learning about the disease.
Asking the person what help they need. Don’t assume.
Attending appointments with the person as both a friend and a driver.
Following the same healthy food and fitness routine as your loved one.
Also, see Diabetic Retinopathy (DR): Long-term Care for Diabetic Vision Loss for how you can help your loved one prepare.
What changes should be made at home for someone diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy?
As vision worsens, ask your loved one if they need assistance organizing their home for safety.
Some suggestions include:
Adjust lighting. Brighter lights and colors help with everyday tasks like reading, cooking, or cleaning, but they also help people with low vision avoid potential harm.
Reduce tripping hazards.
Utilize contrasting colors to mark stairs and other potential safety risks.
Invest in a smart device specifically designed for people with vision impairment.
What treatments are available for diabetic retinopathy?
There is no cure for diabetic retinopathy, but treatment works to prevent, delay, or reduce vision loss.
Treatment options include:
Laser treatment (photocoagulation) works to prevent vision loss if it's done before the retina has been severely damaged. Severe diabetic proliferative retinopathy (SDPR) may be treated with a more aggressive laser therapy called scatter (pan-retinal) photocoagulation.
Removal of the vitreous gel (vitrectomy). This surgery is done when there is bleeding (vitreous hemorrhage) or retinal detachment.
Anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) or an anti-inflammatory medicine works to slow the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the retina. This growth is triggered by a protein called vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Anti-VEGF medications block blood vessel growth. These medications are usually administered via eye injections.
Where can I get more information about diabetic retinopathy?
For information about different types of vision problems, vision changes, and vision loss, see Ability Central’s online library of articles.
For diabetic retinopathy-specific information, see:
Additional Information
The content provided in this article is for informational purposes only and is not intended as a substitute for legal, medical, or other professional advice. While we strive to provide accurate and up-to-date resources, some information may become outdated or incomplete. Always consult with your provider about personal medical concerns.
