Diabetes is known to cause many health problems. One of them is vision loss or even blindness. This is due to a disease called diabetic retinopathy.
It affects many people with diabetes, and right now, we don’t have a way to stop it from getting worse, other than managing diabetes itself. This is a big problem as more people around the world are getting diabetes.
What is Diabetic Retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is when high sugar levels in the blood damage cells in the back of the eye, the part called the retina. To work properly, the retina needs a lot of oxygen and nutrients.
It gets these from a network of tiny blood vessels. But in people with diabetes, these blood vessels can’t always keep the blood flow steady, which is important.
This is one of the first things that goes wrong in the eye when someone has diabetes.
A Big Discovery from Queen’s University Belfast
Researchers at Queen’s University Belfast have found out why these blood vessels can’t do their job properly. They have discovered that a protein called TRPV2 gets messed up in diabetes.
This protein helps keep blood flow steady. When it doesn’t work right, it causes damage in the eye that looks like diabetic retinopathy.
These findings are a big deal because they could lead to new treatments. These treatments could help prevent vision loss in people with diabetes before it becomes permanent.
Excitement and Hope for the Future
The lead researcher, Professor Tim Curtis, is excited about this discovery.
He said, “By identifying TRPV2 as a key protein involved in diabetes-related vision loss, we have a new target and opportunity to develop treatments that halt the advancement of diabetic retinopathy.”
This means that doctors might be able to stop diabetic retinopathy from getting worse by targeting this protein.
This gives hope for the future of treating this common but serious diabetes complication. The research was published in the journal JCI Insight.
If you care about diabetes, please read studies about vegetables that could reduce kidney damage caused by diabetes, and why more than half of people with type 2 diabetes die from heart disease.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies about diet that could help reduce high blood pressure, diabetes, and results showing this therapy may reverse diabetes-related eye disease.
The study was published in JCI Insight.
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