Ophthalmologist and Vitreo-Retinal Surgeon, Dr. Sherwin Benskin, will deliver the Barbados Drug Service’s public lecture this year, entitled: Diabetic Retinopathy.
Dr. Benskin has been practising in his respective field since 1998. He is a member of the Ophthalmological Society of the West Indies, as well as the American Association of Ophthalmologists and the Pan American Association of Ophthalmology.
The specialist operates his practice from The Retinal Clinic, Pine Road, St. Michael. The public lecture on Diabetic Retinopathy will take place on Tuesday, May 15, at 7:00 p.m., at the Lloyd Erskine Sandiford Centre, Two Mile Hill, St. Michael.
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that affects the eyes. It is caused by damage to the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye (retina). Initially, persons experience no symptoms or only mild vision problems. Eventually, however, it could result in blindness.
The condition may develop in anyone who has Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes. The longer a person has diabetes, and uncontrolled blood sugar levels, the more likely it is for that individual to develop it.
It is possible to have diabetic retinopathy and not know it. In fact, it is uncommon to have symptoms in the early stages of diabetic retinopathy. As the condition progresses, diabetic retinopathy symptoms may include: spots or dark strings floating in one’s vision (floaters, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, ‘, NULL, NULL, 0); blurred vision; fluctuating vision; dark or empty areas in your vision; vision loss and difficulty with colour perception. The condition usually affects both eyes.