By skyforbes 
What are the stages?
- Non-proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR): Think of NPDR as the opening chapter in diabetes’s story told through your eyes. Here, the blood vessels become unstable like an unstable bridge and may leak occasionally causing some small vision problems; like small whispers that only your eyes can detect.
Imagine it this way: your eyes are like cameras, with the retina serving as the film that captures images. When NPDR occurs, it’s like some spots on that film get blurry; you might not notice at first but it’s an early indicator that something’s off behind the scenes.
Now here’s the twist: just as you would stabilize a wobbly table leg with screws or glue, doctors can act to support blood vessels that may be weakening over time. They’ll make sure everything doesn’t deteriorate further while managing diabetes and getting regular eye check-ups can provide those wobbly bridges with extra support.
Remember, NPDR is like the opening chapter of a novel; by taking care of yourself and working closely with healthcare providers, you have the power to shape how the story progresses. By prioritizing wellness care for yourself and collaborating with healthcare teams on improving the future outlook for yourself.
- Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (PDR): Imagine PDR as the second chapter in your eyes’ tale about diabetes. Here, the action becomes increasingly dramatic; new characters enter the scene, increasing drama levels.
Imagine your eyes as an elaborate theater stage, with the retina as the central actor. PDR adds some new actors – small blood vessels that shouldn’t be there but instead cause havoc by showing up unexpectedly and disrupting performance.
Imagine these vessels as thin threads, trying to be part of the scene but often becoming troublemakers. They might leak blood onto the scene or pull on the curtain (retina), leading it to tear apart.
Now here’s the twist: just as in any play, a director must oversee everything and manage events accordingly. Doctors step in to make sure these new vessels don’t create too much chaos and may use tools such as lasers to fix any scenes that become disordered and prevent further chaos from spreading.
But here’s the good news: you aren’t just watching this drama unfold; you are an active participant! By taking care to manage your diabetes, working with healthcare team, and getting regular eye checks-ups, you become the hero who helps maintain control over it all and help ensure this chapter doesn’t overshadow overall eye health story.