There are several treatments for diabetic retinopathy: laser surgery, intraocular injections of medications to reduce retinal swelling or to suppress blood vessel growth, and vitrectomy. Combinations of these treatments are very effective in reducing vision loss from this disease. In fact, even people with advanced retinopathy have an excellent chance of keeping their vision when they are treated early. However, it is important to note that although these treatments are very successful, they do not cure diabetic retinopathy, and they also do not cure your underlying diabetes. Therefore proper control of blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol is important. RVC is an active center in the Diabetic Retinopathy Clinical Research Network (DRCR.net), a National Eye Institute-sponsored clinical research network dedicated to further understanding progression and treatment of diabetic retinopathy associated complications.

Your RVC physician will inform you if you qualify for any ongoing studies. All treatments for diabetic eye disease involve cooperation with your family doctor, internist or endocrinologist as very often diabetes eye disease is a sign that the underlying medical conditions may need closer and more aggressive monitoring.