This week, Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Jeffrey Blice about the importance of screening and prevention strategies for diabetic retinopathy. Dr. Blice is a Professor of Ophthalmology and retina specialist at MUSC Storm Eye Institute.
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Individuals who have diabetes are at increased risk for an eye disease called diabetic retinopathy. Doctor Jeffrey Blice is here to talk about screening and strategies for prevention. Doctor Blice is a Professor of Ophthalmology and a retina specialist at Storm Eye Institute at MUSC. Doctor Blice, tell us about diabetic retinopathy.
Dr. Blice: Diabetic retinopathy is a blood vessel disease that affects the retina in people with diabetes. It has two forms, one which involves blood vessels that are already in the eye that cause leaking and swelling, similar to like a swollen ankle. And the second form is growth of new blood vessels that don't belong in the eye. And those blood vessels can break and bleed, form scar tissue, fill the eye with blood and actually cause the retina to detach.
Conner: Does everyone with diabetes need to be screened, and if so, when should that happen?
Dr. Blice: Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness among working age adults in the United States. So, everyone with diabetes needs to be screened for diabetic retinopathy. Usually, screening should occur for type one diabetics within five years of diagnosis and in type two diabetics at the time of diagnosis because the disease can be insidious.
Conner: And what does the screening involve and who do they go to?
Dr. Blice: So, screening should be performed ideally by an in-clinic exam with an eye care professional, like an optometrist or ophthalmologist, who can dilate your eyes and look at the retina.
Conner: And then after the initial screening, how often do you keep up with this screening?
Dr. Blice: People with diabetes should be screened for diabetic retinopathy annually for the rest of their lives.
Conner: If you catch this relatively early, there is something that can be done to slow it down?
Dr. Blice: Correct. So, by catching the disease early, we're able to use treatment strategies to minimize the severity of the disease and potentially prevent severe vision loss.
Conner: And what is it that patients with diabetes should be doing to limit their risk?
Dr. Blice: The best thing any diabetic can do to lower their risk of getting diabetic retinopathy, or the progression of diabetic retinopathy, is to maintain tight control over both their blood sugars and their blood pressures.
Conner: And if someone really maintains tight control over those two factors, is it possible that they really can avoid developing this disease even as they get older?
Dr. Blice: So, the longer a patient has the disease, the higher the likelihood that they will develop some form of retinopathy. But it is true that people who have maintained tight control have a much lower risk and may never develop eye disease.
Conner: Are there any special circumstances where certain people with diabetes are at higher risk?
Dr. Blice: Yes, there are. Women who are pregnant are potentially at higher risk of progression of their diabetic retinopathy. So pregnant diabetics are examined at the beginning of their pregnancies. And if there's any retinopathy detected, they are often examined later in the pregnancy and sometimes in the middle of the pregnancy to assure that their diabetic retinopathy hasn't progressed.
Conner: And for people who have diabetic retinopathy, are there effective treatments?
Dr. Blice: Yes. There are very effective treatments that are available to limit the damage caused by diabetic retinopathy, which is why early detection is helpful. They're both injections of medications into the eye and surgical options and laser treatments as well.
Conner: Doctor Blice, thanks for talking with us about diabetic retinopathy.
Dr. Blice: You're very welcome.
Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobby Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.
