Diabetic retinopathy risks highlighted by ophthalmologist

Ophthalmologist Jana Hrnková, PhD., MBA, from St. Luke Hospital in Galanta, warns that diabetes can damage vision inconspicuously, often without symptoms for years. This condition, known as diabetic retinopathy, involves damage to the small blood vessels in the retina caused by long-term elevated blood sugar levels.

In Slovakia, over 67,000 people were treated for diabetic retinopathy in 2024, according to data from the National Center for Health Information, though the actual number may be higher due to undiagnosed cases. Early stages are often asymptomatic, meaning patients may maintain sharp vision even while pathological changes occur on the retina.

Symptoms typically appear later in the disease progression and include blurred or fluctuating vision, image deformation, cataracts, or dark spots in the field of vision. Dr. Hrnková emphasizes the importance of regular retinal screening and optical coherence tomography (OCT) to detect changes early. Risk factors for the progression of the disease include blood sugar compensation, blood pressure, lipid profile, and the duration of diabetes.