Jakarta (ANTARA) – Retina expert and Head of the Department of Ophthalmology, Faculty of Medicine, Public Health and Nursing, Gadjah Mada University. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Bayu Sasongko, Ph.D, M.Epid, Sp.M(K) revealed that if diabetes is not treated properly, there is a risk of diabetic retinopathy which can lead to impaired vision.
In an online teleconference held on Thursday (10/10), he revealed that diabetes that is not well controlled will damage blood vessels throughout the body, including the eyes.
“One of the important parts of the eye is the retina, which contains vision sensors which are rich in tissue from blood vessels. Well, when diabetes progresses, especially if it is not controlled, it can cause damage to the retina cells which function as vision sensors,” said Bayu.
“And the resulting (vision) damage is usually permanent,” he added.
Diabetic retinopathy is a form of complication of diabetes mellitus, where high sugar levels ultimately cause damage to the blood vessels of the retina of the eye, especially in tissues that are sensitive to light.
The visual disturbances that can be experienced by patients who have experienced diabetic retinopathy include blurred vision which can accelerate the appearance of cataracts.
“However, if the condition of the retina is still relatively good, cataracts can then result in glaucoma. This usually occurs at an advanced stage, and at an advanced stage the vision is no longer good and it is permanent, so the vision cannot be cured,” explained Bayu.
Furthermore, he explained that patients who have had diabetes for 10-15 years will generally experience signs of retinopathy, however, if during that time diabetes is always well controlled with the help of a doctor, the risk of retinopathy progress can be slowed.
He also highlighted the importance of early detection of diabetic retinopathy, as a crucial step in diabetes management and prevention of further complications.
“If it is detected early, treatment can significantly reduce the rate, so the quality of vision is still good even though it is actually retinopathy. “Then early detection screening so that the case is caught early so that we can move or organize the action earlier,” said Bayu.
This news was published on Antaranews.com with the title: If diabetes is not treated properly, there is a risk of vision problems
