Diabetic Retinopathy Classification Flashcards
What is diabetes?
Failure of insulin secretion, insulin action or both
What does insulin do?
It lowers blood glucose
What can chronic diabetes affect?
Eyes, kidneys, nerves, heart and blood vessels
What are the types of diabetes?
Primary: type 1 & 2
Secondary: happens because of something eg. gestational, drugs, pancreatic disease
What is type 1 diabetes?
Insulin dependant
loss of insulin production
What is type 2 diabetes?
Non-insulin dependant
Ineffective use of insulin (insulin resistance) or insufficient insulin production
Who requires insulin injections?
All type 1 and some type 2 diabetic
What are ocular complications of diabetes?
Retinopathy Retinal detachment CRVO/CRAO Anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (AION) Maculopathy Cataract Rubeosis iridis (neovasc glaucoma) Cranial nerve palsies Corneal erosions, ulcers, persistent epithelial defects
Which cranial nerves can be affected in diabetic patients?
III, IV, VI, VII
Nerves to the extraocular muscles
What is diabetic retinopathy ?
It is a microvascular disease which means it affects the small blood vessels i.e capillaries
What is the earliest sign of DR?
Micro-aneurysms
What affects the risk of getting DR and progression of DR?
- Duration person has had diabetes
- Control of DM
- Type (1 more common to get DR)
- HTN, high cholesterol
What is the DES programme?
Diabetic eye screening offered by the NHS to 12+ type 1 and type 2 diabetics
What happens at the screening?
BCVA
Patient dilated
2 images taken for each eye, 1 centred on the macula and 1 centred on the optic disc. Both images merged together
What happens with the images taken
The images are graded. Optometrists or ophthalmologists grade the images. You can become a grader-need to be accredited
What does it mean if the image is not gradeable?
Patient may have cataract or asteroid hyalosis for example which does not give a clear image. these patients then need to be seen on slit lamp
Which two part of the retina does DR affect?
Periphery (R) or macula (M)
What 2 types of DR are there?
Non-Proliferative=no new blood vessels
Proliferative= new blood vessels
What are the retinopathy grades?
R0= No DR R1= Background DR (no referral) R2= Pre-proliferative (refer) R3= Proliferative (urgent refer)
What are the features of R1?
Background DR
- Micro-aneurysm
- Retinal haemorrhage dot/blot
- Exudates
- Venous loops
- Cotton wool spot in presence of other R1 features (meaning a single CWS and no other feature is R0)
What are the features of R2?
Pre-proliferative
- Multiple blot haemorrhages
- Venous beading
- Venous reduplication
- Intra-retinal microvascular abnormality (IRMA)