Question

In the context of diabetic retinopathy, what term is used to describe microaneurysms in relation to neovascularization, and how do they contribute to the progression of the disease?

Answer 1

Microaneurysms in diabetic retinopathy are early signs of damage to the retinal vessels and contribute to the disease's progression by leaking and causing vision impairment.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the context of diabetic retinopathy, microaneurysms are small areas of balloon-like swelling in the retinal blood vessels. As for neovascularization, it is the process of the formation of new blood vessels which are fragile and abnormal.

These new vessels can lead to further complications such as bleeding into the eye. Diabetic retinopathy occurs mainly due to prolonged high blood sugar levels that lead to damage to the blood vessels of the retina. Microaneurysms are among the early signs of retinal vessel damage and can contribute to the progression of diabetic retinopathy by leaking blood and fluid into the retina, causing swelling and impairing vision.