The EYES have it!!!!

LOL, I'm talking about damage to the eyes.  Specifically retinopathy.  I failed my Amsler test and will find out soon if I need a vitrectomy or laser surgery.  I am not sure if my retina has yet detached, but I do know it is worsened in my right eye in the last year.

I'm double whammied here with both type 2 diabetes (controlled-and I can prove it, lol) and systemic lupus, and on plaquenil.  That's triple whammied I guess!


Diabetic retinopathy (die-uh-BET-ik ret-ih-NOP-uh-thee) is a complication of diabetes that affects the eyes. It's caused by damage to the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (retina).
At first, diabetic retinopathy may cause no symptoms or only mild vision problems. Eventually, however, diabetic retinopathy can result in blindness.
Diabetic retinopathy can develop in anyone who has type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes. The longer you have diabetes, and the less controlled your blood sugar is, the more likely you are to develop diabetic retinopathy.
To protect your vision, take prevention seriously. Start by carefully controlling your blood sugar level and scheduling yearly eye exams.

Here are the FIXES for retinopathy via the Mayo Clinic online resource:

• Focal laser treatment. This laser treatment, also known as photocoagulation, can stop or slow the leakage of blood and fluid in the eye. It's done in your doctor's office or eye clinic. During the procedure, leaks from abnormal blood vessels are treated with laser burns. Focal laser treatment is usually done in a single session. Your vision will be blurry for about a day after the procedure. Sometimes you will be aware of small spots in your visual field that are related to the laser treatment. These usually disappear within weeks. If you had blurred vision from swelling of the central macula before surgery, however, you may not recover completely normal vision. But, in some cases, vision does improve.
• Scatter laser treatment. This laser treatment, also known as panretinal photocoagulation, can shrink the abnormal blood vessels. It's also done in your doctor's office or eye clinic. During the procedure, the areas of the retina away from the macula are treated with scattered laser burns. The burns cause the abnormal new blood vessels to shrink and scar. Scatter laser treatment is usually done in two or more sessions. Your vision will be blurry for about a day after the procedure. Some loss of peripheral vision or night vision after the procedure is possible.
• Vitrectomy. This procedure can be used to remove blood from the middle of the eye (vitreous) as well as any scar tissue that's tugging on the retina. It's done in a surgery center or hospital using local or general anesthesia. During the procedure, the doctor makes a tiny incision in your eye. Scar tissue and blood in the eye are removed with delicate instruments and replaced with a salt solution, which helps maintain your eye's normal shape. Sometimes a gas bubble must be placed in the cavity of the eye to help reattach the retina. If a gas bubble was placed in your eye, you may need to remain in a facedown position until the gas bubble dissipates — often several days. You'll need to wear an eye patch and use medicated eyedrops for a few days or weeks. Vitrectomy may be followed or accompanied by laser treatment.

Surgery often slows or stops the progression of diabetic retinopathy, but it's not a cure. Because diabetes is a lifelong condition, future retinal damage and vision loss are possible. Even after treatment for diabetic retinopathy, you'll need regular eye exams. At some point, additional treatment may be recommended.

 Of course I wonder if my damage is from lupus, diabetes or plaquenil, but I learned the hard way as of late that it's all about the treatment.  Sometimes symptoms can be so painful or dangerous to your health that it doesn't matter how you got there..just that you find a way to get back where you belong and put your body back in sync.  Here's what retinopathylooks like:

 I will, of course, keep the blog updated on my EYES and possible treatments for the condition.  ;)