Diabetic macular edema (DME)
Diabetic macular edema (DME) is a diabetic complication. DME
can affect people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.
Excess fluid begins to build up in the macula of the eye,
causing DME. We can focus and see minute details thanks to the macula. It's in
the middle of the retina, which is the blood vessel-filled lining in the back
of the eye.
Vision difficulties occur when extra fluid accumulates in
the macula.
DME is a condition that develops over time. The blood
vessels in the retina can be damaged by high blood sugar levels. Fluid can seep
from damaged blood vessels, causing edema and other problems. Retinopathy is
the medical term for this type of injury.
DME can be treated in a variety of ways. When diagnosed
early and examined by an eye doctor on a regular basis, it's the easiest to
treat.
Way of Diabetes affect to eye
Diabetes patients are at risk of losing their vision. The
eye requires a steady flow of blood to function properly. The blood vessels of
the eye become damaged when blood sugar and insulin levels in the body are
poorly controlled. The blood vessels in the retina are especially vulnerable to
spilling, and diabetic retinopathy can result.
Attending an annual diabetic eye screening session can help
people with diabetes lower their risk of vision loss.
Symptoms
In the early stages of diabetic retinopathy, you may not
notice any symptoms. As the illness worsens, you may experience:
·
Spots or black strings appear in your field of
view (floaters)
·
Vision is hazy
·
Vision that shifts from one moment to the next
·
In your eyesight, there are dark or empty
places.
·
Loss of vision
Cause
If you have diabetes, you already know that your body either
doesn't produce enough insulin or doesn't utilise the insulin it does produce
effectively. Your body can't break down sugars (also known as glucose) from
food if you don't have insulin. Instead, because it has nowhere else to go, the
sugar lingers in your system.
High sugar levels weaken and destroy blood arteries over
time. These compromised blood vessels in the retina might leak fluid, blood, or
fatty deposits into the eye. When the retina swells owing to leaking vessels,
the cells are unable to convey accurate information to the brain, leading the
images we perceive to be distorted. Diabetic macular edema occurs when the
macula, or the center of the retina, swells.
Tests
You'll need an eye exam that includes the following:
·
A test of visual acuity. It assesses your
vision at various distances.
·
An examination of the eyes with dilated
pupils. To examine the interior of your eyes, your doctor will use drops to
dilate your pupils. They'll examine for illness symptoms such as leaking or
broken blood vessels, edema, and fatty deposits on the retina.
If your doctor suspects you have diabetic macular edema, one
or both of the following tests may be required:
·
A fluorescein angiography (FA) uses a
specific dye to take photographs of your retina in order to detect any bleeding
blood vessels. Although the dye is injected into your arm, it soon gets to your
eye.
·
Optical coherence tomography (OCT) photographs
your retina with a special camera. It is extremely sensitive, and it can detect
even minute amounts of fluid and edema.
Treatment
The treatments are targeted at keeping the patient's vision
and preventing further vision loss:
Injected or implanted medication into the eye. Medications
can help to reduce or reverse abnormal blood vessel growth and inflammation in
the eyes.
Laser surgery: This procedure uses a laser to seal leaking
blood vessels and prevent further fluid from entering the macula. Patients
should be re-evaluated to ensure that their DME is responding to treatment.
If you have diabetes, you should have your eyes tested on a
regular basis to catch any visual problems early.