Diabetes Retinopathy – What It Is? An Ayurveda Perspective

Diabetic retinopathy is a disorder that causes blindness in the majority of diabetics. In this situation, it is critical for every diabetic patient to comprehend the illness and its severity. Diabetes complicates people’s lives by causing complications. Ayurveda offers hope to diabetic retinopathy patients. Ayurveda can assist you in entirely preserving your vision. And, at the very least, Ayurveda will not let the situation to deteriorate further.

Diabetic retinopathy is the term used to describe retinal abnormalities found in diabetic patients. Diabetic retinopathy has become more common as diabetes life expectancy has increased. Diabetes retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness.

What exactly is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Before we can understand diabetic retinopathy, we must first understand Retina. Retina is a thin layer of tissue. This layer aids in the analysis of the visulas that pass through the lens. This layer connects the remainder of the eye and the optic nerves.

This layer has millions of blood vessels; these blood vessels transport blood to and nourish this layer. Because of the importance of this layer, nature assists in its correct nourishment.

Diabetes is well documented to cause problems with the body’s microvasculature. Diabetes causes the small blood arterial endings to shrink and weaken. As a result, the microscopic capillaries of the eye lying behind the retina are also damaged by this process.

Diabetic retinopathy is characterised by abnormal proliferation of blood vessels in the retina, which can lead to a variety of issues, including:

Vitreous haemorrhage occurs when freshly created blood vessels bleed through leaking. If the leakage is small, it will appear as a few spots; if it is large, it will clog the entire cavity and cause permanent vision loss.

Retinal detachment occurs when blood accumulates behind the retina as a result of microangiopathy from small blood vessels. As a result, pressure builds up in the region. The process of retinal detachment begins as a result of the same pressure.

Blindness: Diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma eventually lead to blindness.

Glaucoma is a condition in which new blood vessels form in the front of the eye, interfering with normal fluid flow and putting pressure on the optic nerves. The pressure placed on the optic nerves causes damage to the eye.

Diabetic Retinopathy Facts

 Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness in India.

 Approximately 52.2% of male diabetic patients who smoke on a regular basis acquired diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic Retinopathy patients have numerous challenges when performing daily tasks such as reading, going to work, driving, and so on.

To rule out Diabetic Retinopathy, it is critical to get a vision exam at least once a year.

It is critical to see a doctor in the first trimester of pregnancy for a thorough eye examination.

Diabetes control can totally avoid diabetic retinopathy.

In the case of microangiopathies, Ayurveda shows promising effects. As a result, Ayurveda can help you return your vision to normal.

 Smoking, high insulin levels, lack of exercise, and hypertension are all risk factors for diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic Retinopathy Signs & Symptoms

The early phases of Diabetic Retinopathy can occur without creating symptoms or pain. Diabetic Retinopathy indications and symptoms in later stages include:

Vision loss: Severe damage to blood vessels and blood leaks occur in blocked cavities of the eye, resulting in vision loss.

 Blurred, fluctuating, and impaired colour vision: Colour vision is not clear and proper due to blood vessel rupture and damage.

Microaneurysms: Small red spots in the superficial retinal layers caused by pericytes loss.

Dot and blot haemorrhages: When blood vessels break in the deeper layers of the eye, it appears as dot and blots.

Flame-shaped haemorrhages: These are haemorrhages that most commonly occur in the superficial nerve fibre layer.

Edoema of the retina and hard exudates: The collapse of the blood-retina barrier causes leakage of serum proteins, lipids, and proteins from arteries.

Cotton wool spots: These are seen on the retina once more. These are patches that resemble cotton wool. These spots are surrounded by red dots. These occur as a result of a decrease in blood flow to the nerve fibres in the retina.

Intraretinal microvascular abnormalities: These appear predominantly on the retina’s outlines. The process of capillary injury and regeneration continues indefinitely. These modifications arise during the process of damage and recreation.

Diabetic Retinopathy Causes

Being diabetic alone is not sufficient to diagnose diabetic retinopathy. This condition is caused by a combination of circumstances. Here are the specifics:

Diabetes duration is the most important determinant of diabetic retinopathy. After ten years, retinopathy affects 20% of diabetics. 90% of diabetics acquire retinopathy within 20 years. 95% of diabetics acquire retinopathy after 30 years. The length of sickness following the onset of puberty is a risk factor.

Diabetes onset age: This is solely applicable to Juvenile diabetes. When diabetes strikes a youngster under the age of two. For the first ten years, the danger is lower. However, it then rises. However, once puberty begins, the age of commencement is no longer a risk factor.

Females have a higher sex:ratio (4:3) than males.

Poor metabolic control: Wherever diabetes is associated with metabolic syndrome, the odds of developing diabetes are always increased.

It is normally passed down as a recessive characteristic with no sex connection. Heredity has a greater impact on proliferative retinopathy. It is a more advanced form of retinopathy in which new and weak blood vessels begin to form on the retina, assisting in the restoration of blood supply.

Pregnancy: It may hasten the progression of diabetic retinopathy.

When hypertension is present, it might exacerbate the abnormalities in diabetic retinopathy.

 Other risk factors include: This includes smoking, obesity, anaemia, and hyperlipidemia (excess lipids in the blood).

Diabetic Retinopathy Stages

Diabetic retinopathy is classified into four stages:

Mild non-proliferative retinopathy: Symptoms of balloon-like ballooning in the retina’s small blood vessels occur at this stage.

Moderate Non-proliferative Retinopathy: Blood vessels that nourish the retina are obstructed at this stage.

Severe non-proliferative retinopathy: This condition occurs when multiple parts of the retina that are important for delivering signals to the body in order to help build new blood vessels for feeding are deprived of blood supply owing to blockage of many blood vessels.

Proliferative retinopathy: The nascent blood vessels are frail and aberrant at this stage. The retina stimulates blood vessels for sustenance. If these blood vessels rupture, it might result in significant vision loss and blindness.