A 55-year-old diabetic patient complains of a sudden decrease in vision in his right eye. He has a history of a cataract in the same eye. What might be the problem and what are the next steps?
In a patient with diabetes and cataract, a sudden decrease in vision could indicate progression of the cataract, but could also be due to other conditions such as diabetic retinopathy or vitreous hemorrhage. Urgent ophthalmologic evaluation is required to ascertain the cause. Management will depend on the identified issue, with potential treatments ranging from cataract surgery to intravitreal injections or laser photocoagulation for diabetic retinopathy.