Diabetic Retinopathy FAQ 3 How is diabetic retinopathy detected?
• Visual acuity test. This eye chart test measures how well you see at various distances. • Dilated eye exam. Drops are placed in your eyes to widen, or dilate, the pupils. Your eye care professional uses a special magnifying lens to examine your retina and optic nerve for signs of damage and other eye problems. After the exam, your close-up vision may remain blurred for several hours. • Tonometry. An instrument measures the pressure inside the eye. Numbing drops may be applied to your eye for this test. Your eye doctor will check your retina for early signs of the disease, including: • Leaking blood vessels. • Retinal swelling (macular edema). • Pale, fatty deposits on the retina. These are signs of leaking blood vessels. • Damaged nerve tissue. • Any changes to the blood vessels. How is diabetic retinopathy treated? During the first three stages of diabetic retinopathy, no treatment is needed, unless you have macular edema. To prevent progression of diabetic retinopathy, people with
