Retinopathy, Diabetic Important
It is possible that the main title of the report Retinopathy, Diabetic is not the name you expected. Please check the synonyms listing to find the alternate name(s) and disorder subdivision(s) covered by this report.

Synonyms

• Insulin-Dependent Diabetes Retinopathy
• Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus Retinopathy

Disorder Subdivisions

• None

General Discussion

Diabetic Retinopathy is a complication of diabetes and a disorder of the light sensitive tissue of the eye (the retina). This condition is characterized by destructive changes in the blood vessels of the retina, which, if left unchecked, may lead to visual impairment or blindness. The severity of the damage to the retina is highly correlated with the length of time the patient has had diabetes.

For reasons that are not well understood, the blood vessels of the retina lack their normal oxygen load. Capillaries tend to close off, further depleting the oxygen supply. The diabetes process also weakens the walls of these blood vessels, which tend to become enlarged and form micro-aneurysms. Not infrequently, the small blood vessels break causing hemorrhage and contributing to the patient's clouded vision.

Resources

Lighthouse International
111 E 59th St
New York, NY 10022-1202
Tel: (800)829-0500
Email: info@lighthouse.org
Internet: http://www.lighthouse.org

American Foundation for the Blind
2 Penn Plaza
Suite 1102
New York, NY 10121
Tel: (212)502-7600
Fax: (888)545-8331
Tel: (800)232-5463
TDD: (212)502-7662
Email: afbinfo@afb.net
Internet: http://www.afb.org

American Diabetes Association
1701 N. Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311
Tel: (703)549-1500
Fax: (703)549-6995
Tel: (800)342-2383
Email: askADA@diabetes.org
Internet: http://www.diabetes.org

NIH/National Eye Institute
31 Center Dr
MSC 2510
Bethesda, MD 20892-2510
United States
Tel: (301)496-5248
Fax: (301)402-1065
Email: 2020@nei.nih.gov
Internet: http://www.nei.nih.gov/

Association for Retinopathy of Prematurity and Related Diseases
39650 Orchard Hill Place
Novi, MI 48375
Tel: (248)319-0161
Fax: (248)788-4589
Tel: (800)788-2020
Email: ropard@yahoo.com
Internet: http://www.ropard.org

Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International
26 Broadway, 14th Floor
New York, NY 10004
Tel: (212)785-9595
Fax: (212)785-2873
Tel: (800)533-2873
Email: info@jdrf.org
Internet: http://www.jdrf.org

Genetic and Rare Diseases (GARD) Information Center
PO Box 8126
Gaithersburg, MD 20898-8126
Tel: (301)251-4925
Fax: (301)251-4911
Tel: (888)205-2311
TDD: (888)205-3223
Internet: http://rarediseases.info.nih.gov/GARD/