Diabetic eye disease is a group of eye conditions that can affect persons with diabetes. These include diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, diabetic macular edema, and glaucoma. 

Over time, these eye diseases can cause vision loss or even total blindness. Luckily, there are steps you can take to prevent diabetic eye disease or even manage it so it doesn't get worse. Check out some diabetic eye treatment options available for you.

Managing Your Diabetes

The most critical part of treating diabetic eye disease is keeping your diabetes under control. One of the ways to achieve this is to manage your diabetes ABCs. This simply means managing your blood glucose level, blood pressure, and cholesterol. Other effective measures include following your diabetes meal plan, being physically active, and taking your medicine.

During the early stages of your diabetic eye disease, managing diabetes can prevent vision problems from developing. And in advanced stages, when your vision is already affected, managing diabetes can prevent the condition from worsening. 

Laser Treatment

Laser treatment, or photocoagulation, is a procedure used to treat new blood vessels that grow at the retina in cases of diabetic retinopathy. A laser is used to cause a microscopic burn, destroying or shrinking the abnormal structures in the retina. The procedure can be used to treat diabetic retinopathy or stabilize some maculopathy cases. 

This treatment usually requires several office visits to an optometrist. If administered early, it can manage eye disease, which is essential for preventing vision loss or blindness. 

Anti-VEGF Medicines

Anti-VEGF (vascular endothelial growth factor) medicines like aflibercept, ranibizumab, and bevacizumab inhibit the growth of abnormal blood cells in your eye. They can also prevent fluid leaks, which is essential in the treatment of diabetic macular edema. 

Your doctor will administer local anesthesia before injecting the anti-VEGF medicine into your eyes. This ensures you don't feel any pain during the process. In the first few months, you will undergo several treatments, which become fewer after the first round of treatment. These treatments can stop vision loss and even enhance vision in some people.

Vitrectomy

Vitrectomy is a surgical procedure aimed at removing vitreous humor from your eye. This is the gel-like fluid that fills up the space between the retina and the lens of your eyes. The procedure is used to treat patients with scar tissue caused by diabetic retinopathy or severe bleeding. 

If left unattended, scar tissue causes your retina to detach from the tissue below it. A loose retina puts you at risk of blindness. During the vitrectomy, your doctor will gently pump a clear solution into your eye to replace the removed gel, protecting you from further vision deterioration.