What is diabetic retinopathy?

The word people hear most often is "diabetes", but what is "diabetic retinopathy"? Is it related to diabetes? And how can you tell if you have "diabetic retinopathy"? In this regard, the reporter consulted Sun Li, chief Chinese medicine doctor of the Department of Ophthalmology at Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, and the experts will give the answers one by one.

The incidence and blindness rate of diabetic retinopathy are high

It is understood that diabetic retinopathy, abbreviated as "diabetic retinopathy", is the most serious eye complication of diabetes. Its incidence rate has been rising year by year with the increase in the life expectancy of diabetic patients. It has become one of the most common blinding retinal diseases in ophthalmology.

Ms. Lu, 45, had unstable blood sugar control, but she always thought she was young and would not have any major problems. Until one day, she suddenly had blurred vision and came to Sun Li's clinic. After examination, she was diagnosed with typical diabetic retinopathy.

"Common symptoms of diabetic retinopathy are decreased vision, blurred vision, and even difficulty in distinguishing colors. Common fundus examinations show microaneurysms and bleeding. In severe cases, vision may be completely lost." Sun Li introduced that currently, the commonly used treatments in clinical practice are drug therapy, laser therapy, anti-VEGF therapy, etc. "Traditional Chinese medicine classifies diabetic retinopathy as 'diabetes cataract disease', which is related to the insufficiency of internal organs and the invasion of evil spirits such as blood stasis, heat, phlegm, and dampness into the fundus. Fortunately, Ms. Lu came to see a doctor when she felt unwell. Because the diagnosis was early, she could also take the 'Tang Ke Ming' prescription and cooperate with blood sugar control treatment, and she will soon get better."

The original prescription won the national invention patent

The reporter learned that the "Tang Ke Ming" prescription is an original prescription created by Sun Li of the hospital, and was approved for a national invention patent under the name of "a Chinese medicine composition with the effect of treating diabetic retinopathy". The patented prescription is composed of Chinese medicines such as astragalus, schisandra, and trichosanthes, and has the effects of strengthening the body and replenishing qi, harmonizing qi and blood, and calming the mind. "The prescription was put into use in 2013 and has been used clinically for more than 10 years, benefiting hundreds of diabetic retinopathy patients." Sun Li said that in order to facilitate patients to take, the prescription has been made into a granule.

The "Tang Ke Ming" prescription is the result of long-term clinical trials and has also undergone animal modeling studies, which have fully confirmed that the prescription can protect the blood-retinal barrier, reduce the permeability of the barrier, and delay the progression of diabetic retinopathy. As early as 2015, the research project was approved as a scientific research project of the Jiangsu Provincial Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, and an in-hospital preparation project of the Jiangsu Provincial Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine and the Jiangsu Provincial Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine.

Early detection and early diagnosis are the key

The occurrence of diabetic retinopathy is closely related to the course of diabetes and the degree of control, but has little to do with the age of onset, gender and type of diabetes. The longer the course of diabetes or the worse the control, the higher the incidence of diabetic retinopathy. According to incomplete statistics, about 25% of diabetic patients have diabetic retinopathy, and about 5% have proliferative lesions.

It is worth reminding that patients with diabetes who are also suffering from hypertension, hyperlipidemia, pregnancy, and a long history of smoking are at high risk of diabetic retinopathy. Sun Li suggested that diabetic patients should have their fundus examined at least once a year (with mydriasis), and high-risk patients should have fundus examined every six months or three months. Early diagnosis and early detection for early treatment are the key to the management of diabetic retinopathy patients.