Making the Diagnosis
Diabetic retinopathy is a long-term complication of diabetes. If someone has diabetes, it's extremely important that they have their eyes monitored and examined, as recommended by an ophthalmologist (eye specialist).
Diabetic and hypertensive retinopathy are diagnosed in much the same way. An ophthalmologist will examine the retina with an ophthalmoscope, which shines bright light into the back of the eye and allows for a close look at the blood vessels of the retina. The ophthalmologist will look for signs of dilated blood vessels and microaneurysms (see the section "Symptoms and Complications"). They may also use fluorescein angiography, which involves injecting a dye into a vein of the arm and taking a series of retinal photos to detect signs of leaky blood vessels. This process can pinpoint areas that may be threatening to bleed.
In the case of hypertensive retinopathy, an ophthalmologist will look for tiny cholesterol-containing plaques in the retinal blood vessels as well as other blood vessel changes such as narrowing and thickening.