Retinopathy

Написала Левина Дарья, последняя правка от 12.10.2013

Retinopathy is due to persistent or acute damage to the retina of the eye. On going inflammation and vascular remodeling may occur over periods of time where the patient is not fully aware of the extent of the disease. Frequently, retinopathy is an ocular manifestation of systemic disease as seen in diabetes or hypertension.

Causes of retinopathy include but are not limited to:

  • Diabetes mellitus, which causes diabetic retinopathy
  • Arterial hypertension, which causes hypertensive retinopathy
  • Retinopathy of prematurity due to prematurity of the newborn (under the 9 months of human pregnancy).
  • Radiation retinopathy due to exposure to ionizing radiation.
  • Solar retinopathy due to direct sunlight exposure.
  • Sickle cell disease
  • Retinal vascular disease such as retinal vein or artery occlusion.
  • Trauma, especially to the head, and several diseases may cause Purtscher's retinopathy
  • Hyperviscosity-related retinopathy as seen in disorders which cause paraproteinemia

Many types of retinopathy are proliferative resulting, most often, from neovascularization or the overgrowth of blood vessels. Angiogenesis, the sprouting of new vessels is the hallmark precursor that may result in blindness or severe vision loss particularly if the macula becomes affected. 

Retinopathy may rarely be due to genetic diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa. ciliopathy is another rare cause. 

Retinopathy is diagnosed by an ophthalmologist during eye examination. Treatment depends on the cause of the disease.