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MILD BACKGROUND RETINOPATHY?

Littletenderness

Member
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20
Hello there. I have had Type 2 Diabetes for over 25 years now and like most struggle to juggle work, stress, family and diet into a reasonable pattern. I make sure I have the regular eye tests that are available and these have always been quite normal until now. The results of my eye test this time have shown that I have Mild Background Retinopathy. Can anyone shed some light on anything that can be done to stop this progressing or does this mean I will go blind within a few years? Sorry if I'm panicking.
My whole family have Familial Genetic Diabetes. My Great Grandfather,Grandfather, Father, Sister, me and now my eldest son were all diagnosed around the age of 40 but could have actually had it longer just not diagnosed. None had Retinopathy diagnosis. I do try really hard to keep my sugar levels even but my work in a school is very stressful and just wondered if this may be a cause. I am 64 and will do anything to prevent losing my sight. Can anyone help?
 
If you heard about it in a letter and if it says that you will be asked to attend an appointment next year, it is a standard letter. It does cause a lot of distress though.

My opthalmologist explained to me that although he takes the photos, he sends them off to a national contractor who analyse the photos. He showed ma one small spot which had occurred before diagnosis but said, it was nothing. He did warn me that I would get a letter saying that there had been some baackground changes and that I would be required to attend another examination the following year.
 
I was diagnosed with background retinopathy when I was first diagnosed diabetic some 20 years ago ( they reckoned I'd been undiagnosed diabetic for 10-15 years by that time)
At my latest eye exam this year I was diagnosed with "early background retinopathy" and in the intervening years it's varied between " no retinopathy" and " mild background retinopathy"
I think good blood sugar control and keeping an eye on bloop pressure keeps t it from progressing along with the elusive "luck of the draw"factor
 
Thankyou both Yorksman and Badcat both replies are very helpful as, yes,Yorksman, I did have a letter and there was no suggestion of doing anything. It was just the usual standard letter to make sure I attend my next screening. Your'e right it is quite distressing ! I visit an NHS screening van once a year and this time the lady in charge told me she could not see anything different at all. But, I still had this diagnosis so I guess the screening process in the van may not be quite as thorough as the checks by the Opthalmologist back at the Eye Centre where they are checked. She does always warn me that this may be so.
Badcat am I assuming that even with these varying reports you have had throughout the years you have not experienced any changes in your sight? The reason I ask is because most of the reports I read on Retinopathy seem to suggest that it doesn't really affect sight during the 'Mild' stage does it? Actually my eldest son was newly diagnosed last year at 42 and the reason he discovered he had Diabetes was because he was getting blurred vision and went to the Opticians to see if he needed glasses. The Optician discovered Retinopathy and told my son he should get checked out at his doctors. Since my son has been taking tablets and his sugar levels are reduced he says the Retinopathy has 'dissapeared' I am a bit confused by this and wonder if he means his blurred vision has gone. I guess the question I'm asking is do you think Retinopathy causes blurred vision and can it just dissapear as my son says? From your yearly reports it seems yours fluctuates, is that right ? I do appreciate the time you have both taken to answer so thanks......I guess an experience shared is a worry halved !!!!
 
Sometimes people can be told that they have background/mild retinopathy and it never progresses, however there are a few (like myself although I've been clear for 8 years now) who unfortunately see it progress to the later stages. Much can be done to halt the progression and you've already mentioned good bg control as one, you also want to keep your bp below normal and maintain good cholesterol levels, a diet rich in fruits and vegetables is also said to help aid eye health.

There's a website that has everything you need to know about diabetic retinopathy, not sure if you've seen it yet but I'll post it anyway:

http://medweb.bham.ac.uk/easdec/Information_for_patients.html

Good luck and hope all works out fine!
 
I was called back after my annual retinopathy examination and I thought they'd found damage only to be t old I have glaucoma . I didn't even think of this I a m so worried.
 
I've not seen any impact on my sight other than needing stronger glasses asi get older but that's age not retinopathy. You're right in thinking the yearly checks have fluctuated between mild retinopathy and no retinopathy and my ophthalmologist has told me that with good control I retinopathy can reverse. From what I understandi, it's proliferative retinopathy (where you start to get small bleeds and the growth of new weaker capillaries in the eyes) when eyesight begins to be threatened
 
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