Diabetic patients may be at risk of retinopathy – Dainik Savera Times

New York: A research has revealed that in diabetes along with health related conditions, cholesterol can get deposited on the retina which can affect the vision of the patient, which is called retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy is a serious vision-threatening complication of diabetes that can lead to vision loss and even blindness. The study, led by a team from Michigan State University in the US, has shown that cholesterol deposits can be seen in retinal images.

Noninvasive retinal evaluation can be performed by most optometrists, opening the opportunity for diagnosis to more people. “Retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness and one of the most dangerous complications of type 1 and type 2 diabetes,” said Julia Busick, MSU professor emeritus of physiology. ‘Every person with type 1 or type 2 diabetes will have some degree of retinopathy within 20 years of developing diabetes. Currently it is very aggressive. Retinopathy can be detected only at the last stage.

Researchers in the study found that these cholesterol crystals are similar to those found in atherosclerotic plaque, which can form in the arteries and cause heart attacks. Jorge Abela, chief of the MSU Division of Cardiology, helped the team identify ways to scan the retina by preparing retinal tissue for scanning electron microscopy. It also helps researchers analyze the structure of the crystals, which usually occurs when there is a lot of cholesterol in one place.