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Diabetic retinopathy & maculopathy

L

Luco

Newbie
Messages
3
Type of diabetes
Other
Treatment type
Diet only
Hi everyone, I need some advice. My mum was told 2 years ago she has diabeties in her eyes but she hasn't ever been told she's diabetic. Sometimes her sugar levels are slightly high and she gets told she has pre-diabeties but never actual diabeties. Last week she had a blood test and it came back normal.

She also went to an ophthalmologist who told her that she has background diabetic retinopathy and diabetic maculopathy in both eyes. Right eye 6/9 best corrected (6.5/7.5 pinhole) and left ever 6/12 best correct (6/9 pinhole). IOP 17mmhg right eye and 15 in left.

On the letter it says "imp" stable diabetic retinopathy (what does imp mean)? and advancing cataracts. Plan is 6/12 OLDR.

Can anyone explain any of this to me please? I'm worried about her and what she needs to do.

I dunno how she's got diabetic retinopathy anyway, she hasn't been diagnoised with diabeties. She is taking tamoxifen and a side effect for that does create issues in the eyes but the ophthalmologist said it's not caused by that?

All help really apprciated please.
 
  • The numbers 6/9 etc. are measurements of visual acuity. Normal vision is 6/6 but 6/7.5 or 6/9 is fine. Pinhole is used in case someone needs new glasses (or doesn't have their glasses with them). Your mother's vision is fine at the moment.
  • IOP is intra-ocular pressure - normal values are under 20mm Hg so your mother's pressures are fine.
  • I don't know what imp means, possibly improving?
  • I don't know what OLDR means but it could be a typo for OPDR (ophthalmic photographic diabetic review) and in this case 6/12 means 'in 6 months'. If your mother has maculopathy which isn't severe enough to require immediate treatment, it may be monitored, e.g. every 6 months, in case treatment becomes necessary.
There is some evidence that diabetic retinopathy can develop in pre-diabetes:- http://www.diabeticretinopathy.org.uk/prevention/prediabetes.html

There is some evidence that tamoxifen can cause maculopathy:-
https://www.aao.org/eyenet/article/watch-ocular-effects-of-breast-cancer-drugs

The risk of progression of diabetic retinopathy can be reduced by good control of blood sugars, lipids and blood pressure.

Edited to correct link.
 
I wonder if imp stands for implied?
 

Hello. Thanks for your reply. She was told she had background diabetic retinopathy and diabetic maculopathy in late 2015. And last week everything is still the same I guess. Is this normal and is this something she needs to worry about? I was away and only recently found out about this, and am concerned and she doesn't fully understand what this is. So I am trying my best to explain it to her, and I don't wanna give her wrong information or make her worry to much. I've read a lot of stuff about it online during the last few days and it gets a little confusing.

All help appreciated.
 
Is this normal to have it for so long without any improvement or any intervention to stop it progressing?*
 
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