Diabetic Retinopathy

Question 1

What is diabetic retinopathy?

Answer 1

Damage to the retinal vessels in the eye due to prolonged exposure to high blood glucose

Question 2

What is the pathophysiology behind diabetic retinopathy?

Answer 2

Damage to small retinal vessels which causes an increased vascular permeability which leads to leakage from blood vessels, blot haemorrhages and formation of hard exudates (yellow/white deposits of lipids in the retina)

Intraretinal microvascular abnormalities (dilated and tortuous capillaries in the retina, which can act as a shunt between arterial and venous vessels)

Neovascularisation

Damage to blood vessel walls- micro-aneurysms and venous beading

Question 3

What are the categories of diabetic retinopathy?

Answer 3

Pre proliferative/non proliferative/background

Proliferative- development of new vessels

Question 4

What is diabetic maculopathy?

Answer 4

Macular oedema

Ischaemic maculopathy

Question 5

What are the complications of diabetic retinopathy?

Answer 5

Retinal detachment 
Vitreous haemorrhage 
Rebeosis iridis 
Optic neuropathy 
Cataracts

Question 6

What is the management of diabetic retinopathy?

Answer 6

Laser photocoagulation
Anti VEGF meds- ranibizumab and bevacizumab
Vitreoretinal surgery (keyhole surgery of eye)