What is a Diabetic Retinopathy?

 

Diabetic Retinopathy is a major cause of new blindness in adults. If discovered in time, most cases of vision loss caused by diabetic retinopathy can be prevented. Any adult with diabetes should have their vision checked at least once a year. People with diabetes who are vigilant about having their vision checked regularly can often avoid or prevent vision loss from diabetes.

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Panretinal photocoagulation, or PRP (also called scatter laser treatment), is used to treat proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). The goal is to create 1,600 – 2,000 burns in the retina with the hope of reducing the retina’s oxygen demand. In treating advanced diabetic retinopathy, the burns are used to destroy the abnormal blood vessels that form in the retina. This has been shown to reduce the risk of severe vision loss for eyes at risk by 50%.