Medicines and surgery usually aren't necessary for mild diabetic retinopathy. In this diabetes-related eye condition, tiny bulges called microaneurysms stick out from the blood vessel walls in the retina. These microaneurysms usually don't cause symptoms or other eye complications. The best treatment is regular monitoring to check if it progresses to moderate or severe retinopathy.

Right now, you can protect your vision by:

• Getting a full eye exam at least once a year. It's important to schedule a comprehensive eye exam — not just an eye prescription check — with an eye doctor who specializes in eye disease. Ask your eye doctor if you should have an eye exam more often than once a year.
• Keeping your numbers under control. Managing your blood sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol levels helps reduce the risk of vision loss as well as improves your overall health.

If your retinopathy gets worse or if you develop swelling in the center part of your retina — known as diabetic macular edema — there are several effective treatments your eye doctor might suggest:

• Observation. If there is a small amount of swelling and your vision is not affected, your eye doctor may recommend observing closely without specific eye treatment.
• Medicines. One of several medicines may be injected into your eye to reduce fluid leaking from blood vessels. One type includes anti-vascular endothelial growth factor medicines, also known as anti-VEGF. Anti-VEGF medicines also reduce the growth of harmful new blood vessels in the retina. Three drugs are approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) to treat diabetic macular edema — faricimab-svoa (Vabysmo), ranibizumab (Lucentis) and aflibercept (Eylea). Steroid medicines also can be injected.
• Laser surgery. Your eye doctor applies drops that numb your eye. Then, your doctor uses a laser to treat specific leaking microaneurysms and possibly other areas of the retina. The laser burns can reduce the leaking of fluid that can cause vision loss.
• Vitrectomy. This may be used in select situations where the vitreous gel in the back of the eye is causing traction, or pulling, on the retina. This retinal traction can contribute to swelling in the macula. During vitrectomy surgery, your eye doctor uses small instruments to remove the vitreous gel from the back of the eye and relieve any traction. The removed vitreous is then replaced with a saline solution. Vitrectomy takes a few hours and is often done in an outpatient setting.

Early detection and close monitoring are key to preventing and even reversing vision loss.

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Feb. 28, 2023 See more Expert Answers