Causes of floaters in DM is: (PGI May 2010)
Ans: A (Vitreous hemorrahage) "Sometimes the onset of new floaters is secondary to Vitreous hemorrahage, often caused by advanced Diabetic retinopathy"- Parson 20th/88Vitreous detachment also cause floaters (But as Q is specifically asked about cause in MD, so should not be marked as answer)Floaters20th/88-89& www.diife.com/diabetes/information//.../chous_ march06It occur when the vitreous, a gel-like substance that fills about 80 percent of the internal eye, slowly shrinks. As the vitreous shrinks, it becomes somewhat stringy, and the strands can cast tiny shadows on the retina.In most cases, floaters are part of the natural aging process and simply an annoyance. Over time, they tend to settle to the bottom of the eye, becoming less bothersomeFloaters are more likely to develop as we age and are more common in people who are very nearsighted, have diabetes, or who have had previous eye surgeryQ.There are other, more serious causes of floaters, including infection, inflammation (uveitis), hemorrhaging, retinal tears, and injury to the eye.People with diabetes tend to have more floaters because high blood glucose alters the chemical composition of the vitreous, causing it to shrink more rapidly. Also, people with diabetes are more likely to have bleeding inside the eyes as a result of diabetic retinopathy, and patients will sometimes visualize individual red blood cells floating around within their vitreous (sort of looks like hundreds of discrete, little peppercorns.)Patients with severe diabetic retinopathy (proliferative diabetic retinopathy) are especially at risk for a retinal detachment, as abnormal blood %ressels growing into the vitreous are more firmly attached to the retina, pulling it away as the vitreous shrinks (like wall paper being pulled off a wall). If left untreated, a retinal detachment can lead to permanent visual impairment or blindness within a few' days or even hours.Sometimes, a section of the vitreous pulls away (detaches) from the retina all at once, rather than gradually, causing many new floaters to appear suddenly. This is called a vitreous detachment, w'hich in most cases is not sight- threatening and requires only close observation, not treatment.However, a sudden increase in floaters, possibly accompanied by light flashes or peripheral (side) vision loss, could indicate a retinal detachmentFig.: illustration of a floater within the vireousposterior vitreous detachment (PVD) is a condition of the eye in which the vitreous humour separates from the retina
Vitreous hemorrahage
Vitreal detachment
Maculopathy
Infarction
Vascular Disorders