One of the usual complications of diabetes is the breakdown of the blood vessels that feed the retina, which is the part of the eye that processes images. Retinopathy occurs when blood leaks out of those vessels into the eye, causing blurred vision and ultimately blindness. Eighty percent of all patients who have suffered from diabetes for ten years develop diabetic retinopathy as a consequence.
There are three traditional treatments for retinopathy. They are all rear-guard actions. Laser surgery destroys the malformed, leaky blood vessels and leaves most of the good blood vessels intact. Unfortunately, though, diabetes is what creates the malformed blood vessels, so the good ones continue to be outnumbered well after surgery. Chemical treatments injected into the vitreous cavity, where the leaked blood collects, will clear up the patient’s vision temporarily, but that requires four to twelve injections per year and causes several unpleasant side effects. And, finally, there is the surgical removal of bloody vitreous material, which also provides only temporary relief despite its invasiveness.
The ProgenCell approach comes closest to being a solution. It has had no side effects and, because it is directed at creating healthy blood vessels, is not intended to be an infinite treatment. In this therapy, the patient’s own stem cells are infused around the eye and placed into the bloodstream. Depending on the severity of the condition, the therapy may be repeated every four months for up to a year. By doing so, not only reinforces the blood vessels but the eye is able to create healthy retinal tissues and to replace damaged receptors.
Mary from Colorado, one of ProgenCell’s patients, was treated for advanced diabetes along with retinopathy during 2010 and 2011. After three treatments, she wrote, “I am so excited. No aches and pains, I move much faster, like when I was thirty years old. My blood work showed that my diabetes is gone. And my eyesight, which I started to lose a long time ago, has come back.”
If you are concerned about the progress of your diabetic retinopathy, begin your recovery today by contacting ProgenCell for a complimentary evaluation. The sooner you get started, the better your results will be.