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04.10.2012

Novel methods of fighting diabetic vision impairment!

Novel methods of fighting diabetic vision impairment!

Klinika Zir offers patients with medium or high degree of diabetic vision impairment (diagnosis: Pre-proliferative and proliferative forms of diabetic retinopathy) novel complex treatment, suspending the irreversible blindness process of these patients for a long time.

In Ukraine the common scheme of conservative supportive treatment for patients with this pathology consists of periodic (usually once or twice a year) courses of out-patient or in-patient treatment when a patient receives medicines in the form of tablets, IV and injections in the orbital cavity, i.e. under the eyebulb. Usually these are vitamins, vascular preparations, and medicines to improve the nerve tissues trophism – nootropics.

Unfortunately, sugar diabetes is an incurable progressing disease, damaging all the human organs. One of the target organs is the eyes. The examination of patients with sugar diabetes by an ophthalmologist is obligatory; it should be performed at least once in six months. Very often the patient's visual functions remain at a satisfactory level, their deterioration is gradual and unnoticed, but organic changes are just catastrophic.

A person may not have any complaints, but his doctor may already detect serious anatomic changes during the examination. As for sugar diabetes the starting point for the development of diabetic retinopathy is insulin insufficiency, which launches the cascade of irreversible biochemical reactions in the organism, resulting in the permeability impairment of vascular walls. This leads to intercellular edema of retina tissues (nervous lining of the eye) and considerable impairment of visual functions. As symptoms grow, there are “microstrokes” in specific zones on the fundus of the eye. In attempt to fight these changes the organism starts cultivating new, and very fragile, vessels on the damaged areas. These are the very vessels to later cause point or large-scale blood hemorrhages. The flown-out blood is not dissolved completely even with the medical preparations, and the blood residues lead to regeneration of eye tissues, scarring, retina perforation and detachment. These changes end with blindness.

Klinika Zir offers the novel scheme of supportive treatment of diabetic retinopathy. Helping these patients, we follow world-renowned standards and use the methods, proven by the best reliable results.

According to the data of the European and American Societies of Ophthalmology the common conservative treatment is insufficient to fight sugar diabetes for the sake of the patient's vision.

At the stage of preproliferative damage of the retina the golden world standard for patients with good or satisfactory vision and changes in the form of microstrokes and hemorrhages is the method of laser coagulation of retinal envelope of the eye (the retina). This procedure is not designed for the improvement of the visual acuity, it is aimed at the stabilization of pathological process. It has been proven that the stage of blindness of patients, who received timely laser treatment, came on average 5–7 years later than of those, who ignored their doctors' recommendations. Therefore, timely laser reinforcement of the retina makes it possible for the patient to enjoy better quality of life for a longer period of time.

The next stage of treatment is endovitreal introduction of medical preparations, intended for the extraction of newly formed fragile eye vessels, conditioning constant hemorrhages and scarring. The group of these preparations is called antiproliferative factors. Previously these preparations were used in oncology, as they stopped the growth of vessels, feeding malignant tumors, but further studies revealed their extremely high efficiency in treating diabetic retinopathy. Due to the impact of these medicines the severe stage of diabetic damage regresses and passes into the medium degree, i.e. a patient gets additional time of good vision and well-being.

At present there are three ophthalmologic antiproliferative preparations in the world market: Lucentis, Avastin, and Macugen. Unfortunately, only one of them – Lucentis – has been registered in Ukraine.

The experienced surgeons of Klinika Zir recommend the certified preparation Lucentis for patients with diabetic retinopathy. The procedure of preparation introduction is performed in the operational theater with strict observance of all the aseptics and antiseptics rules. According to the standards of providing ophthalmologic treatment, only microsurgeons of the highest qualification are allowed to perform this microsurgery.

The patients, who have not received timely laser reinforcement and introduction of antiproliferative factors, and the patients, suffering from sugar diabetes for over 15–20 years, often develop a severe stage of impairment – proliferative diabetic retinopathy, when the changes in the eyes are destructive and irreversible. We offer this group of patients the novel and the most delicate microsurgery – vitreoretinal surgery, i.e. surgery on the nervous tissue of the eye. As far as 10–15 years ago such patients were considered hopeless in terms of vision improvement and correction of anatomic abnormalities. Current state of the art high-precision technologies and professionalism of experienced surgeons make it possible to provide treatment even to these patients.

In recent years sugar diabetes is spreading wider and wider. More and more people suffer from this insidious disease. More and more frequently ophthalmologists detect complications of sugar diabetes in the eyes. Klinika Zir would like to remind you that you do not have to face this problem alone! We will help you solve it using novel methods and medicines! Do not lose precious time and come for timely help!