Thomas Marvelli MD - Ophthalmologist
Eye Care for Patients with Diabetes
One complication of diabetes is eye disease. Diabetic retinopathy is the most common eye disease connected to diabetes and a leading cause of blindness in American adults. It occurs in patients with advanced diabetes and is caused by changes in the blood vessels of the retina. In order to receive proper eye care the patient and ophthalmologist must first determine what type of diabetic retinopathy is present. The two types of diabetic retinopathy (eye disease) are:
- Macular Edema - blood vessels may swell and leak fluid.
- Proliferative Retinopothy - abnormal new blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina
To Prevent or slow the development of eye disease the diabetic should receive proper eye care and:
- control blood sugar
- blood pressure
- blood cholesterol
- have an eye examination at least once a year by an ophthalmologist
Dr Marvelli an ophthalmologist, offers quality eye care for patients with diabetes at all three of his office locations, Ft Worth, Colleyville, and Mansfield, Texas.Contact Us.
Treatment for Diabetes Related Eye Disease
Proliferative retinopathy is usually treated with simple laser surgery, sometimes the patient may need eye injections or another form of surgery depending upon the severity and type of diabetes.
Macular edema can be treated with laser surgery. This procedure is called focal laser treatment. A patient with diabetes may need focal laser surgery more than once to control the leaking fluid associated with this eye disease. If you have a lot of blood in the center of the eye (vitreous gel), you may need a vitrectomy to restore your sight. If you need vitrectomies in both eyes, they are usually done several weeks apart.
A vitrectomy is performed under either local or general anesthesia. A tiny incision is made in your eye. Next, a small instrument is used to remove the vitreous gel that is clouded with blood. The ophthalmologist replaces the vitreous gel with a salt solution.
- What is experienced during procedures?
- Patient should not experience severe pain or discomfort during these procedures.