10 Popular Facts Among Diabetic Patients About Eye Health That Are Actually False

1. My vision is good, then I don’t have diabetic retinopathy. False
   *At the early stages of diabetic retinopathy, your vision may be very good.
   
2. My blood sugar levels are under control, then I will have no problems with my eyes. False
   *It is very advantageous for diabetic patients to have their blood sugar levels under control. However, some patients may nevertheless develop ocular damage.
   
3. Even if I develop diabetic retinopathy, treatment will restore my vision. False
   * Diabetic retinopathy reduces vision, and treatment aims to stop vision loss, but most patients will not experience improvement in their vision.
   
4. My neighbor’s blood sugar level is above 400, but he/she doesn’t have any retinal damage, so I won’t have it either. False
   *Genetically speaking, some people may not develop retinal damage despite high blood sugar levels, but even lower levels of blood sugar may cause damages on another person’s retina.
   
5. Diabetic retinopathy can only be diagnosed in large general hospitals, because it is a difficult and laborious task. False
   *A primary or secondary care ophthalmologist can diagnose diabetic retinopathy by dilating the pupil. In suspicious cases, your ophthalmologist will refer you to a tertiary health care facility.
   
6. I had an ophthalmologic examination 2 years ago. I don’t have any diabetic eye disease. I don’t need to see an ophthalmologist again. False
   *After 5 years, diabetic patients should see an ophthalmologist annually. In cases of mild retinal disease, the intervals will be shorter.
   
7. Laser therapy used in the treatment of diabetic eye disease is harmful to the eyes. False
   *Laser therapy performed by a specialist will prevent vision loss at a minimum rate of 50%.
   
8. It is not useful to repeat intravitreal injections if they have not been successful in the first or second time. False
   *In patients with indication, it may be needed to repeat intravitreal injections 6 to 8 times in the first year, but the number of repetitions will decrease in the second and third years.
   
9. Retinal surgery – vitrectomy does not provide any benefits in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy. False
   *In diabetic retinopathy patients, retinal surgery may become necessary if injections or laser therapy fail to keep the condition under control. Retinal surgery saves many patients from losing their eyes.
   
10. In diabetic retinopathy, vitrectomy is performed once and no repeat surgery is needed. False
    *Diabetes is a lifelong disease in the course of which diabetic retinopathy may progress or recur, thus repeat vitrectomy may become necessary.

Figure 1: Diabetic retinal edema due to macular traction (pre-diabetic retinopathy surgery)

Figure 2: Post-operative appearance of diabetic retinal edema due to macular traction in optical coherence tomography imaging (post-diabetic retinopathy surgery)