Diabetes is a systemic disease that causes a disorder in the small or medium-calibre blood vessels affecting amongst other organs, the kidneys, the heart and the eyes. The increase of glucose in the blood facilitates a damage to these vessels allowing the filtration and accumulation of their contents in several tissues. In the eye, it can affect different parts such as the cornea, the eye surface, the optical nerve but, above all, the retina. The most important risk factors so that diabetes strikes the eyes are the blood glucose levels and the time elapsed since the disease was diagnosed.

At the beginning, if there exists a retinal affection, there is seldom any symptomatology. As time goes by the manifestations worsen and can cause a vision diminishment, mainly if there exists macular affectation. The most seriously ill patients with diabetes are prone to forming new blood vessels to supply the ischemic areas with oxygen and it is for this reason that one of the most usual manifestations is the total and sudden vision loss because of an intraocular haemorrhage.

The most important thing before treating it, is trying to prevent it. The proper systemic treatment of diabetes and the active participation of patients in their glycemic control are essential to delay as much as possible the appearance of ocular problems. If diabetes has already affected the retina, the treatment will be applied depending on which area it is striking and the condition of the rest of the retina. It can be treated by means of intraocular injections, by laser to prevent the spreading of new blood vessels and even by vitreous retinal surgery.

Those patients who have been diagnosed with diabetes must have their fundus examined, at least, once a year. Catching the ocular disease in early stages improves remarkably its prognosis and will enable us to apply lesser aggressive treatments. Nota: Este texto está traducido al inglés británico. En caso de preferir el americano, las palabras CALIBRE, HAEMORRHAGE y HAEMORRHAGES, deberían cambiarse por CALIBER, HEMORRHAGE y HEMORRHAGES.