Retinopathy

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Retinopathy
Synonyms	N/A
Pronounce	N/A
Specialty	N/A
Symptoms	Vision loss, blurred vision, floaters, difficulty seeing at night
Complications	Blindness, macular edema, retinal detachment
Onset	Varies depending on type
Duration	Chronic
Types	Diabetic retinopathy, hypertensive retinopathy, retinopathy of prematurity
Causes	Diabetes mellitus, hypertension, premature birth
Risks	Poor control of blood sugar, high blood pressure, premature birth
Diagnosis	Ophthalmoscopy, fluorescein angiography, optical coherence tomography
Differential diagnosis	Macular degeneration, retinal vein occlusion, vitreous hemorrhage
Prevention	Control of blood sugar and blood pressure, regular eye exams
Treatment	Laser photocoagulation, anti-VEGF therapy, vitrectomy
Medication	N/A
Prognosis	Varies; early detection and treatment can prevent vision loss
Frequency	Common in individuals with diabetes or hypertension
Deaths	N/A

Proliferative Retinopathy

Retinopathy is a disease of the retina, which is the thin, light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It can occur as a result of various conditions, most commonly diabetes and high blood pressure. Retinopathy can lead to vision loss and is a leading cause of blindness among working-age adults.

Types of Retinopathy

There are several types of retinopathy, including:

• Diabetic retinopathy: This is a complication of diabetes that affects the blood vessels in the retina. It is the most common cause of vision loss among people with diabetes and the leading cause of vision impairment and blindness among working-age adults.
• Hypertensive retinopathy: This is damage to the retina and its blood vessels due to high blood pressure. It can lead to bleeding in the eye, blurred vision and complete loss of vision.
• Retinopathy of prematurity: This is a potentially blinding eye disorder that primarily affects premature infants weighing about 2¬æ pounds (1250 grams) or less that are born before 31 weeks of gestation.

Symptoms

Symptoms of retinopathy can include:

• Blurred vision
• Floaters
• Vision loss
• Difficulty seeing at night

Diagnosis

Retinopathy can be diagnosed through a comprehensive eye examination. This can include:

• Visual acuity test: This uses an eye chart to measure how well a person sees at various distances.
• Dilated eye exam: Drops are placed in the eyes to widen, or dilate, the pupils. This allows the eye care professional to see more of the retina and look for signs of disease.
• Tonometry: This is a test that measures the pressure inside the eye.

Treatment

Treatment for retinopathy depends on the underlying cause. For example, good control of diabetes and high blood pressure can slow the progression of retinopathy. In some cases, laser treatment or surgery may be needed to seal leaking blood vessels or to remove blood from the eye.

See also

• Eye disease
• Vision loss
• Diabetes

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