PDR is treated with high doses of oral steroids. The prevalence of PDR is related to the duration of diabetes and the patient's age at the time of diagnosis. Macular edema is a harmless condition which does not affect vision. Diabetic retinopathy can worsen rapidly during pregnancy. Good glucose control is of no importance in the progression of the disease.
Hard exudates are signs of bacterial infection of the retina.
Normal retinal vessels leak fluid, diseased ones do not. CT scans of the orbits. Multivitamins are useful in reversing neovascularization. Macular edema is usually treated with focal laser photocoagulation to seal off leaking microaneurysms. In a vitrectomy, the diseased vitreous is evacuated and replaced with vitreous from a cadaver eye.