Visual impairment from diabetes

Retinopathy is a condition that affects blood vessels in the retina, light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. It is a common complication of diabetes and can also be caused by other conditions such as high blood pressure and sickle cell anemia. Retinopathy can lead to vision loss or even blindness if left untreated. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) is a treatment that involves breathing pure oxygen in a pressurized chamber. It has been shown to be a promising possibility for treating retinopathy by increasing the amount of oxygen delivered to the affected tissues.

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of blindness in developed countries. The risk of blindness in diabetics is about 10-20 times higher than in non-diabetics. It is the most common complication of diabetes. The essence of the disease is that under the influence of high blood sugar - hyperglycaemia and often a high content of fats in the blood – hyperlipidaemia there are microocclusions of blood vessels, and thereby oxidative stress and non-circulation of blood in the retina. All this leads to the formation of new inferior vessels that have weak walls. And these are the ones that cause a lot of problems in the eye.

The contents of these vessels seep through their weak wall and thereby there is bleeding on the retina or swelling of the retina in the central part, in the place of sharpest vision.

Manifestations of the disease:

Diabetic retinopathy does not hurt. Only in advanced stages is there a gradual deterioration of vision, mainly due to swelling at the site of the sharpest vision, the macula. Visual impairment can also be caused by cataracts, which occur earlier and more often in diabetics. Other manifestations include a decrease in colour sensitivity, floating tiny black dots in front of the eyes, creating a distorted image and the loss of part of it. If the newly formed inferior vessels burst, there is an outflow of blood into the vitreous cavity, and then the patient complains of floating black areas in front of the eye and a sudden significant deterioration in vision.

WHY USE A HYPERBARIC OXYGEN CHAMBER?

Oxygen dissolves in the blood plasma at the elevated pressure in the chamber. The applies is not only the transport of oxygen by haemoglobin, but also through blood plasma. Here its concentration and volume, 20 times higher than at normal air pressure. This oxygen rush also penetrates into non-bloody tissues or through collateral circulation. Although it is very small, it can provide oxygenation of the retina and thereby prevent irreversible changes. At the same time, in non-congested tissue, hyperbaric oxygen stimulates microvessels to grow. This is the essence of the beneficial effect of HBO in the treatment of various ischemic syndromes, whether it be the retina of the eye or ischemic limbs.

Of course, HBO treatment must be carried out in close cooperation with an ophthalmologist.

SUPPORTING VISION QUALITY WITH HBO

Helps suppress age-related macular degeneration
Relieves diabetic retinopathy
Reduces occlusion (closure) of the central retinal artery
Relieves glaucoma symptoms

HBOT works by increasing the amount of oxygen dissolved in blood plasma, which in turn increases the amount of oxygen delivered to tissues throughout the body, including the retina. This increased supply of oxygen can help improve blood flow to affected tissues and promote the growth of new blood vessels, which is important in conditions where blood flow is compromised.

Studies have shown that HBOT can improve visual acuity and reduce the severity of retinopathy in some patients. In one study, patients with diabetic retinopathy who received hyperbaric therapy had significant improvements in visual acuity compared to those who did not receive this treatment. Another study found that HBOT reduced the number of new blood vessels in the retina in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy, in which the problem lies in an increase in the number of blood vessels.

HBOT is usually given as a series of treatments, lasting between 60 and 120 minutes for each session. The number of treatments required depends on the severity of the condition being treated, but a typical course of treatment includes 20-30 sessions. The treatment is generally well tolerated, with few side effects. Some patients may experience earache when pressure changes, but these symptoms can usually be managed with techniques such as yawning or swallowing.

In order for the treatment of complications of diabetes to be successful, it is necessary for there to be:

Close cooperation with specialists (diabetologist, nephrologist, neurologist, ophthalmologist, otorhinolaryngologist, pedologist)
Diabetes compensation and patient cooperation
Maintaining sugar levels – a healthy lifestyle and diet