DIABETIC RETINOPATHY

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Wills Eye retina doctors are leading experts in the treatment of diabetic retinopathy with the latest clinical trials and new therapeutic approaches for this disease.

What is Diabetic Retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy, a complication of diabetes, affects the eyes by causing deterioration of blood vessels in the retina. Breakdown of retinal blood vessels may result in fluid leaking into the center of the retina (macular edema) or abnormal blood vessels that grow on the surface of the retina (neovascularization) which can bleed and scar.  This can lead to loss of central and possibly peripheral vision.

There are two major types of diabetic retinopathy: non-proliferative and proliferative.

Cause

The longer someone has diabetes mellitus, the more likely they will develop diabetic retinopathy. After 25 years, nearly all people with diabetes mellitus will show some signs of diabetic retinopathy. The severity of diabetic retinopathy is also related to blood glucose (sugar) control. Keeping blood glucose levels down to as normal as possible reduces the degree and rate of progression of diabetic retinopathy and other diabetic complications in the body. 

Julia A. Haller, MD
Ophthalmologist-in-Chief

Carl D. Regillo, MD, FACS
Chief, Retina Service

Arunan Sivalingam, MD
Co-Director, Retina Service
Director, Retina Fellowship

David H. Fischer, MD
Co-Director, Retina Service

Allen C. Ho, MD
Director, Retina Research

Richard S. Kaiser, MD
Co-Director, Retina Fellowship

Sunir J. Garg, MD
Co-Director, Retina Research

Jason Hsu, MD
Co-Director, Retina Research

James P. Dunn, MD
Director, Uveitis Unit

Allen Chiang, MD

Michael N. Cohen, MD

Mitchell F. Fineman, MD

Omesh P. Gupta, MD

M. Ali Khan, MD

Michael Klufas, MD

Ajay Kuriyan, MD

Carl Park, MD

Marc J. Spirn, MD

James F. Vander, MD

David Xu, MD

MEET WILLS EYE RETINA DOCTORS

Sonia Mehta, MD

Sonia Mehta, MD

Yoshihiro Yonekawa, MD