Diabetic retinopathy is a dangerous eye condition that can lead to blindness. Fortunately, a surgical procedure exists that can help prevent that. 

Of course, facing the possibility of an invasive procedure is never easy. It can be doubly anxiety-inducing that it involves something as vital as your vision. 

To help you understand what the procedure entails, we’ll answer the frequently asked questions about diabetic retinopathy surgery. 

What is diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition caused by high blood sugar levels damaging the blood vessels in tissue at the back of the eye.

This tissue, the retina, is responsible for capturing light. Diabetic retinopathy interferes with that and leads to problems with vision. 

Common symptoms of the condition include these:

Blurry vision

Floaters or floating
specks in your vision

Trouble seeing
in dark settings

Sudden
vision loss

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Diabetic retinopathy is progressive. The longer it goes untreated, the worse it can become, with retinal scarring and detachment being possible outcomes. 

Luckily, early treatment can help prevent the worst of it from affecting you. If you want to learn more about the condition and things like its causes, see our earlier article.

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What happens during diabetic retinopathy surgery?

Diabetic retinopathy surgery refers to any invasive procedure used to treat or manage diabetic retinopathy.

Because the procedure performed depends on your specific condition, there are actually several types of surgery which may need to be performed for patients suffering from diabetic retinopathy. Here are the most common ones:

• Vitrectomy: This is the removal and replacement of the vitreous gel in your eye. This gel-like fluid in your eye is normally clear, but diabetic retinopathy can cause it to become cloudy when there is bleeding in the eye. This cloudiness obstructs clear vision, hence requiring the procedure.
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• Laser surgery or photocoagulation: This aims to reduce the hypoxia or lack of oxygen in the eye. In doing so, there will be less growth of abnormal leaky blood vessels in the eye, and overall prevents future bleeding and scar tissue formation within the eye which will lead to severe visual loss or blindness.
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• ‍Retinal detachment repair: This surgery is reserved for the worst possible complication of diabetic retinopathy: detachment of your retina from the back of your eye. This happens after extensive scar tissue forms and forcibly pulls the retina off, leading to severe, and potentially permanent, visual loss.

Is the surgery safe? 

Diabetic retinopathy surgery is generally safe and successful when performed by a vitreoretinal surgeon. All the procedures have their own risks and complications, and need to be discussed in detail so that an informed decision can be made by the patient.

Is diabetic retinopathy surgery painful? 

Depending on the surgery, laser procedures can be done under local anaesthesia with minimal downtime. 

More major surgery like vitrectomies, are usually done under moderate sedation or even general anaesthesia. It is normal and expected to experience a little discomfort or blurry vision after the surgery, though.

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What should you expect after surgery?

Diabetic retinopathy surgery can lead to marked improvements in vision for some. It may even stop further vision loss for people suffering from diabetic retinopathy.

However, there is no guarantee of that or the restoration of perfect vision for each case. It’s vital to manage your expectations.

The best eye doctors for diabetic retinopathy will also tell you that post-surgical care is crucial. If you follow all of your surgeon’s recommendations post-surgery, you’re more likely to see success in the results. 

Let’s go over some of the questions people ask related to this and their answers:

• How long is the recovery time for diabetic retinopathy surgery? Recovery time for diabetic retinopathy surgery varies by case, but patients can often see improvement in just a few weeks. The actual healing itself may take several months. Your doctor can give you a better estimate of the period.
  
  
• Will you need medication after diabetic retinopathy surgery? Most patients will need prescription anti-inflammatories and antibiotics after the surgery. These are often provided as eye drops.
  
  
• Can you exercise after diabetic retinopathy surgery? If only a laser procedure was done, you will usually not need to rest for anything more than a day or 2, unless advised by your specialist. However, if major surgery like a vitrectomy is performed, then generally you will be required to rest and avoid strenuous activity and heavy lifting for 3-4 weeks. Once again, check with your doctor as this varies from patient to patient.
  
  
• Will you need follow-up visits after diabetic retinopathy surgery? You will need regular follow-ups with your doctor after the surgery. It’s important to have your doctor monitor recovery so that he can check for complications.
  
  
• What symptoms of side effects should you look for after diabetic retinopathy surgery? Amongst others, if you notice sharp pain, heavy bleeding, or abrupt loss of vision after the surgery, reach out to your doctor ASAP.
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• Can diabetic retinopathy surgery restore your vision? The surgery can improve a patient’s vision but there’s no assurance of it being perfect again. Most of these surgeries are carried out to stop progression of the damage.

Learn more about diabetic retinopathy surgery and treatment

That should answer most of your questions about the procedure. If you find that you have more, please contact us and book an appointment. Our eye doctors can assess your case as well as explain diabetic retinopathy surgery further to you.

Call us to enquire or book an appointment at Shinagawa Eye Centre today.