diabetic retinopathy Flashcards
what is diabetic retinopathy?
damage to retinal blood vessels due to prolonged hypertension
what is the pathophys of diabetic retinopathy?
prolonged hyperglycaemia damages small vessels in retina particularly the endothelial cells
- increased permeability
- damage to walls
intreretinal microvascular abnormalities
neovascularisation
how does diabetic retinopathy lead to vascular permability?
hypertension
leaking of blood vessels, blot haemorrhages and hard exaduates
what are hard exudates?
yellow -white deposits of lipids and proteins in retina
what does the damage to blood vessel wall lead to?
microaneurysms - small bulges in walls venous beading - vessel walls are no longer straight and paralle;
what does damage to nerve fibres cause?
cotton wool spots
like fluffy white patches
what are intraretinal microvascular abnormalities?
IRMA - dilated and tortous capillaries in retina
can act as a shunt between arterial and venous vessels
what might be seen on background DR?
microaneurysms, retinal haemorrhages, hard exudates and cotton wool spots
what might be seen in pro-proliferative DR?
venous beading, multiple blot haemorrhages, IMRA
what is seen in proliferative DR?
neovascularisation and vitreous haemorrhage
diabetic maculopathy exists seperately, what is this?
exudates within macula
macular oedema
what are complications of diabetic retinopathy?
vision loss
retinal detachment
vitreous haemorrhage
rubeosis iridis
optic neuropathy
cataracts
what is a vitroeus haemorrhage?
bleeding into vitroeus humor
what is rubeosis iridis?
new blood vessel formation in the iris
what can rubeosis iridis lead to?
neovascular glaucoma
