Diabetic Maculopathy: The macula is the central area of the retina. Diabetic maculopathy is a condition that can result from retinopathy. Diabetic maculopathy is when the macula sustains some form of damage, the part of the eye which provides us with our central vision. It is responsible for sharp vision, such as watching TV or reading. It can become damaged in diabetes, with leaks developing (edema).
Majority of diabetic maculopathy occur in Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus (NIDDM). No drug therapy has shown to have the therapeutic effect in diabetic maculopathy.
Symptoms of Diabetic Maculopathy
Maculopathy or macular degeneration is painless. The manifestations of diabetic maculopathy are a blurring of one’s central vision. This may include:
- Image distortion (metamorphosis)
- Recognising faces in the center of the vision
For instance, while looking at someone’s face, sufferers will be able to see the ears but not facial expressions, eyes or mouth.
Causes of Diabetic Maculopathy
Diabetic maculopathy is when the macula sustains some form of damage. This is when high blood sugar levels cause damage to blood vessels in the retina.
How Diabetic Maculopathy is Treated?
Mild macular oedema may resolve itself without treatment but most people will need good diabetic control.Laser treatment is done to treat new blood vessels at the back of the eyes in the advanced stages of diabetic retinopathy.
Treatment can help stabilize the changes in your eyes induced by your diabetes and stop vision getting any worse, although it won’t ordinarily improve your sight.
New anti-VEGF eye injections can be particularly effective in diminishing the leakage (oedema) and maintaining good sight, and approximately all patients will keep good sight. And rarely, steroid injections into the eye itself.
