Diabetic Retinopathy: Types, Causes, and Associated Somatic Changes

The eyes can yield clues to vascular issues elsewhere in the body. How can the two forms of diabetic retinopathy, which are non-proliferative and proliferative, affect vision, and how might retinopathy be associated with somatic effects resulting from diabetes? Dr. Alan Ruby, opthamologist and clinical assistant professor of biomedical sciences at the Eye Research Institute at Oakland University, in Rochester, Michigan, discusses the correlation between diabetic retinopathy and complications throughout the body. Can tight control of diabetes affect the progression or regression of retinopathy? What can physicians caring for patients with diabetes do to identify vision changes early on, and potentially reduce the risk of later complications? Dr. Roy Levit hosts.