Diabetes and Your Eyes: Why Every Diabetic Needs an Annual Retina Check

Punjab has one of the highest rates of diabetes in India — and diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of preventable blindness in working-age adults worldwide. The terrifying part: it causes no symptoms until significant, often irreversible damage has occurred. An annual retina examination is not optional for diabetics. It is essential.

How Does Diabetes Damage the Eyes?

Persistently high blood sugar damages the tiny blood vessels that supply the retina. These weakened vessels leak fluid, bleed into the eye, or — in advanced stages — trigger abnormal new vessel growth. The two main stages:

Non-Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR)

The early stage. Vessels weaken, form tiny haemorrhages, and deposit lipid exudates in the retina. Vision may still appear completely normal at this stage — which is why so many patients are unaware this is happening inside their eyes.

Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR)

The advanced stage. Abnormal new blood vessels grow across the retina and vitreous. These vessels bleed easily, causing sudden vision loss. Scar tissue can form and pull the retina away, causing a tractional retinal detachment — a complex surgical emergency.

Diabetic Macular Oedema: The Most Common Cause of Vision Loss

Even in early retinopathy, fluid can leak into the macula — the central retina responsible for reading and fine detail. This swelling, called diabetic macular oedema (DMO), is the most common reason diabetics lose central vision. It can occur at any retinopathy stage and must be detected and treated early.

Who Should Get an Annual Retina Check?

• All Type 2 diabetics from the time of diagnosis
• All Type 1 diabetics from 5 years after diagnosis
• Diabetics who are pregnant — retinopathy can worsen rapidly during pregnancy
• Any diabetic with sudden vision change, floaters, or blurring — seek urgent same-day review, not just the annual check

What the Examination Involves at Atmos

Dr. Neha Khanna conducts a thorough diabetic eye examination including:

• Dilated fundus examination — pupil dilation for a complete view of the retina
• OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) — a painless cross-sectional scan of the retina that reveals fluid invisible to the naked eye
• Fundus photography — high-resolution images used to track changes over time
• Fluorescein angiography if needed — maps blood vessel leakage patterns

The examination takes 30–45 minutes including dilation. Your vision may be slightly blurred for 2–3 hours afterward; please arrange transport.

Treatment Options for Diabetic Eye Disease

• Intravitreal anti-VEGF injections — direct-to-eye medication that reduces leakage and abnormal vessel growth. The first-line treatment for DMO and PDR. Often monthly initially, reducing over time as the condition stabilises.
• Laser photocoagulation — seals leaking vessels and reduces the stimulus for abnormal vessel growth. Used for certain stages of NPDR and PDR.
• Vitrectomy surgery — for advanced cases with vitreous haemorrhage or tractional detachment, Dr. Neha performs complex vitreoretinal surgery.