Diabetic retinopathy - will I get it?

Is it a virtual certainty that if you have diabetes you will develop retinopathy?
Answer:
It's not a certainty at all. Keep your glucoses under control %26 you reduce the risks significantly. You should have your eyes checked by a specialist once a year, so that the early signs of retinopathy can be spotted %26 if necessary, treated.
That said, the longer you have the lurgy, the more chance you have of all complications. Retinopathy is usually the first to be spotted, because the damage can actually be seen. With other complications, the effects have to be detected before anything can be done.
It can be treated, initially, with lasering of the retina. This stings, but removes the new blood vessels that have grown. It's not that bad, just uncomfortable. If the retinopathy develops further %26 becomes proliferative, you may have to have an operation to clean up the retina.
The key is to keep testing %26 pay attention to what it tells you. Hope this helps %26 hasn't freaked you螖)

---

no but the better you take care the more risk you reduce.

---

Its a risk, not a certainty

---

No, not if you can keep your blood glucose down to a reasonable level. The hBA1C is a good guide...aim for levels of 6 - 6. 5%

---

No, if your diabetic control is tight, you should be able to avoid it. Be certain you get your yearly eye checks so that if there are any problems they can be picked up and dealt with in the early stages. You also need frequent monitoring of your BP.

---

not really. depens how seriouse it is but u shouldnt worry

---

No not at all - providing you keep to the care plan your health care team advise you - then you should be OK. In the older days it was probably more common place for people with diabetes to get complications - but things have come on in a big way.

---

No, but to reduce the risk you need to keep your blood sugars as well controlled as possible. You should speak to your dr about this if it's a problem - I have a friend who'd had high blood sugars for several years n some retinopathy n they told her to lower her sugars gradually over a few months or it could make it worse (I think her case was unusual!). xx

---

depends on duration and control ,it is not necessary you will get it

---

Not everyone who has diabetes develope`s retinopathy it all depends on your control and other factors but you should have your eyes checked every year the aim is to keep your blood sugars between 3 and 5 its when you are hypoglycemic over a long period that you can get other related problems to diabetes control is the key factor to you diabetes

---

no, if you maintain a healthy blood suger level of between 4 and 7. i am a type 1 diabetes and also used to work for specsavers

---