What is Diabetic Retinopathy? | Knock Knock Eye 

Hey Eyeball bro! GYNO sis here. I was very moved by your story about your channel. You should know that your skits are the most effective burnout-prevention therapies I know. Way way better than mandatory mindfulness and resilience training. Keep it up for all your bros in medicine, like us uterus bros. Thanks.

I was diagnosed with Type 1 IDDM at age 5. Brittle Type 1 IDDM, so it was hard to control my blood glucose levels even when following my endo's orders closely. At age 28 I started seeing lots of floaters in my eyes. Saw my eye doc- dx: PDR. Thankfully I did not wait to have it treated- I had over 400 micro-aneurisms. leaks and spots that had to be dealt with. Yep. Laser surgery- this was almost 30 years ago. 2 surgeries- each eye done separately. I will say that I wish my eye surgeon had told me more than "You may have some vision issues for a few days after the lasering." when I had the first laser surgery. I nearly freaked completely out after the anesthetic drops wore off- I could only see in black and white for about 12 hours and had extreme light sensitivity for about a week. Seeing full color out of one eye but only black & white out of the other was "an experience". Some loss of peripheral vision and increased light sensitivity that has never gone away, but better than losing my eyesight altogether. And thank you for trying to convince people to stop being such jerks to people with Diabetes- it is not an easy-to-live-with disease. I am so tired of people telling me to "Eat better and exercise!" like that will magically cure my Type 1 IDDM, and make my life all better. It doesn't work like that for Type 1 IDDM. Sigh. And yes, Type 1 is a terribly expensive disorder to live with for your entire life. People who do not have Diabetes or have someone they live with or care for with the disease have no clue how much insulin costs each month, along with insulin syringes, a glucose meter, glucose test strips, lancets, alcohol wipes, glucose tablets or gel, the specialized diet that may be needed, as well as the cost of doctor visits and regular bloodwork. It shouldn't be this way.

As the husband of a rural family practice doc I have really enjoyed your body of work. As someone diagnosed with Diabetes three years ago but was able to quickly get it under control I appreciate this discussion because I was told to get regular eye exams but not why or what they were looking for. Love your spot on humor and now the serious stuff. Look forward to what the future brings.

Hey Doc! I would love to see an episode with Molly Burke, she’s one of the first blind RU-vidrs, and is a big reason that the disability community has been able to grow and evolve on the platform and internet as a whole. She has RP, and was diagnosed at a young age. She lost most of her vision around 14, and had her first guide dog around that time as well. It would be super interesting to hear you guys talk about content creation and about vision loss and the blind community!

As a diabetic, I appreciated this episode and your discussion of how to treat diabetics so much. I have had weight issues for years, and so many medical providers have dismissed me or given me really bad advice. Being diagnosed with IIH just led to a whole new wave of judgement. Finally getting hospitalized in diabetic ketoacidosis was one of the best things that ever happened to me medically because I finally got compassionate care that didn’t blame me for being sick and fat. Insulin, learning to count carbs and how to track my blood sugar was life-altering. It’s a lot of work, but I have maintained excellent control of my diabetes ever since I got the right tools and got out of the shame. There are so many people who try to tell me how to eat or that I should be able to cure my diabetes, and after years of feeling so much shame and trying desperately to control my diet to an extreme, I can finally just walk away and know I’m doing what’s right for me.

Last week for the first time in my life, a doctor I was meeting with had a scribe! And he was an ophthamologist! The scribe was not, as far as I know, named Jonathan. But thinking about your sketches gave me a laugh while I was learning I might need eye surgery. Thanks!

For a future video, would be awesome if you could cover if dark/light mode causes eye strain or effects eyes in other ways!

My husband had type 1 IDDM, and diabetic retinopathy was the first real sign that things were starting to go seriously downhill; he was just turning thirty then. The view through the fluoroscope was interesting. The nice ophthalmologist who declared him blind let me look. (His phrase was, "If I can't see in, there's no way you can see out.") He ended up with subtotal vitrectomy in both eyes, which at least permitted him to read with one eye. He died when he was forty-five and on dialysis, but hey, he never had a foot amputated! We did try the laser treatment, but it didn't go well as they did not tranquilize him at all, and he kept kicking the doctor in the shin every time the laser was activated. I told the doctor that he was going to need some sedation, but, no-o, experts.

*approaches Dr G with a pillow and blanket* Oh yes punchy is one way to describe sleep deprivation. I was afraid you were going to nod off there a few times. Please take care of yourself Dr G, you are our only Dr G and you are pretty dang important! Also thank you for this video. I have been diabetic for almost 20 years and my son (them genetics kicking in) was diagnosed last year. I need to schedule his first diabetic exam when I go to schedule mine. My opthalmologist has the big green flash test and it is so much fun looking at my retina. Take care and please sleep!

I’m so glad you had such a positive experience with your live shows! I love when you talk about life at the beginning of these eye episodes.

Great education Doc. Had most of these procedures- PRL, vitrectomy, bevacizumab, currently aflibercept injections. Patients- don’t be fearful of the injections. Your eye is numb. Go for your exam.

My husband was terrified of the eyeball shots. He has had retinopathy for probably 25 years. and it took probably two years for his Dr and myself to convince him to get those shots. 10/10 definitely recommend. He’s been slowly healing the swelling and little fluid bubbles for a few years now. Absolutely amazing progress. Of course I make sure his A1C remains good, and he exercises. but the shots were a key component to stopping the deterioration.

Thank you so much for these episodes!!! I legit need them. I’m knew to ophthalmology and work as a scribe hoping to be a doctor one day. This helps so much with my patient interactions and scribing for the doctor.

Yoooo, I'm a pharmacy technician at a specialist eye hospital and we do so many anti-VEGF intravitreal injections. It's super interesting to learn more about one of the conditions we're treating from one of my fave ophthalmologists (I do know others, but you're certainly up there). Thanks!

hey Dr G, would you ever consider covering acanthamoeba infections on this show? love your work, thank you 😊

When something bad or unfortunate things happens to me, I tend to say..one day I’ll tell this story and laugh about it.. and I can say I’ve laughed a couple times telling stories and it makes for interesting conversations

We would love to see you here in New Jersey. Let us know if you are ever here. I am diabetic, type 2, and have slow growing cataracts. I find these sessions about our eyes very interesting. I love learning from you, although I am old enough to be your mom. I found you during the pandemic and absolutely love your sense of humor. Come to the Jersey Shore and do a show at the Surflight Theater on Long Beach Island. It's a wonderful place to have a family vacation.

I love your channel, from the skits to these very informative videos. Only thing I ask is that you take care of yourself. Don't burn yourself out!

As a retina guy I didn't cringe too much! Thanks for disseminating the good word here. I think when you get into the subspecialty weeds, it may be a great idea to bring someone on to help guide the convo! For instance, "paradoxical worsening" would be a great thing to bring up here - that people with NPDR can get worse eye findings in the immediate period following excellent blood glucose control that stabilize and improve. I often have to reassure my diabetics since they find that so frustrating

Still watching the episode, so disregard this if you talk about it, but I'd love if you talked about sickle cell retinopathy. Lack of doctors/people knowing what this is almost cost me my vision from a young age. And I'd love if more people knew about it

Thank you for your service and staying up late to show us this video Dr. G😀😍

Do a video on brittle cornea syndrome and other rare eye diseases.

thank you. I'm on low income health care with diabetes that hit young due to genetics and went undiagnosed for a while because I wasn't established with a doc, and a lot of things this clinic just doesn't have time to explain to me. resources on what might seem like the basics in an easily absorbable format is super helpful on learning how to help myself better, and why some things are important, and just the general mechanics of the disease.

Hi from Kaiser advice RN going off to work! Love your work I use the information! I am a visine warrior keeping our pts from using it! Also love my hoodie!

Can you do a short segment on pink eye/conjunctivitis :p also really enjoying this series so far!

When I was in the neuro ICU with aphasia (couldn’t talk), I was sure I saw you. I pointed at the dr in question and shouted Glaucomflecken. All the ICU were asking 'did she say Glaucomflecken ?' ‘What’s a glaucomflecken ?'. I was so disappointed it wasn’t you

Thank you for covering DR! I have Type 2 Diabetes and was never able to find any good, digestible information on it. Your explanation was great. Thank you!

ty for this! As someone who doesn't have diabetes but has family history for it, I'm really glad I learned how commonly eye problems also come along with diabetes, and that actually, it's pretty easy to track how well your overall health is doing just with eye exams!

Thank you for covering this! I hope my constant requests weren't super annoying lolol

11:30

Can you come to Northern CA? Sacramento is waiting for you all!

Hey doc! Love your videos. The neurologist is spot on as the neurologist I see was a real Bitch who gaslit me between the door closing and sitting down. I went into shut down mode and fight or flight kicked in. Needless to say I still didn't get the EMG test done or even entertained the idea i may have something worse. I was diagnosed T2 late in 2019. Early 2020 my optometrist did the tests and all was well with my eyes. I took it seriously and worked to getting my A1C down. I wasn't told to go back in 2021, so in 2022 I went and the tests showed a spot, but the optometrist said it wasn't something to worry about because it was small. 2023 it had not changed. I asked if I should be seeing a ophthalmologist, and he said not yet. I wish the Vuity drops were available in Canada In Canada ophthalmologist are in short supply, but not optometrists....you see them only when you're bad off.....big difference where there are more ophthalmologists in the US

You should take your show to Austin, the comedy community there is thriving and I'm sure you have lots of fans across Texas

So I'm coming up on just about a year as a DX'd Type 1.5 diabetic. This is one of the bigger concerns I have with everything. Especially as being a Type 1.5, it means I was 1.5 for my entire life - and it was only recognized a year ago. I had constant lows as a teenager and in my 20's. I also have PCOS, so I had to fight the weight bias from all directions, too, as I don't look like the "typical" T1 or 1.5 patient. My first endocrinologist didn't even want to test for 1.5 until my primary called the office up and read them the riot act. I had gone to that first visit with 9 months worth of numbers and ketones logged as well as a dietary log. Everything I ate or drank. An activity log. Etc. I was labeled a Type 2 at age 41, and at 43 they re-DX'd me as a Type 1.5, which is a combination of autoimmune illness with insulin resistance and it's just as hard to manage as most T1's. Mine was recognized earlier than most because due to having PCOS, my primary was doing regular A1C checks and we watched it climbing over the course of like three years no matter what I did. Finally when the A1C hit 6.4, I got myself a glucometer and started tracking it. Shortly after that, I got a blood ketone meter and started tracking that, too. My primary agreed that it might be autoimmune after we tried both Mounjaro and Jardiance and had minimal to no effect on my numbers day to day. Especially once we found that I can go up high without eating or drinking anything but water for hours, or it can drop after a meal. Added in with my lows, and she basically referred me to endocrine because it wasn't behaving like a typical T2 and she wasn't comfortable trying to manage it. Thank you also for pointing out that people need to stop being judgey towards diabetics. Sometimes no matter how hard we try, we just can't get our numbers to behave. To say nothing about access to the things we need to help that, too. I am coming up on my first diabetic eye exam, and I'm already nervous about it. LOL.

Please bring your show to Albany NY! I think you'd have a great audience here.

Any way you can do a video on optic neuritis? I really don’t understand what this is. Thank you for this video, being a diabetic it’s important to know about eye issues associated with it

My husband's aunt got PVR (proliferative vitreous retinopathy). It was a real tragedy. She had dozens of surgeries but still ended up blind

Thank you!

Would lovecif u could put some photos of what u describe

Maybe Doctor G needs a curfew, getting a little punchy by midnight? Thanks for covering the topic!

Hi Dr Glauc 😊

PLEASE come to Cincinnati OH!!!

I know people who haven’t experienced it, having a needle in your eye is hard to imagine. Having several injections in my eye, I can say it really isn’t bad and given a choice I’d rather have an eye injection that have dental anesthetic injections.

Is there anyway to get this show on a podcast RSS feed so it can auto-download instead of having to find it on RU-vid? I think this would be great to listen to as I drive.

11:30 to get to the point. Correction. 14:00

Hey Doc - since I have shingles near my eye, can you do an episode about when shingles infects the eye?

You're awesome

Note, needle in the eye not always painless and one bad experience can make it nuch harder to relax for the next one. Speaking from experience

I love you .im still trying to to lesn at 79

My diabetes rant goes out to the food industry. Go into any restaurant and you will find menus nicely marked with veg, dairy, and gluten free options. If you have diabetes don't bother looking much past the salad menu. Do they not understand that 25% of their adult customers are diabetic or pre-diabetic?

Drinking coffee late? You'll see the results in clinic tomorrow.

Can you talk about peripheral vision loss.

I could not make it in medical school (my undergrad was history, almost 10 years ago) and I’m sure eyes would be icky for me if I did try med school But I seem more likely to tune in for Knock, Knock Eye (??)

Unfun fact: diabetic eye exams are the only eye care covered for adults by medicaid. Not the glasses, by the way. Just the exam.

I can't look at the back of the eye because my myopia is so bad the ophthalmoscope shows me a single blood vessel that fills the scope.

One of the most frustrating, as well as the saddest pregnant patients, were the diabetic patients who refused to follow the treatment and blood-sugar-controlling dietary advice they were given and urged to follow. The one who stands out especially in my memory was one who blatantly refused to follow dietary advice, or to go to an opthalmologist for damage assessment. She flat out said she thought we were crazy and refused to understand what we were trying to tell her. Years later, long after she was past that pregnancy, she called the practice wanting us to help her control her diabetes, as she was going blind and finally began to understand what we had warned her about. We referred her to a diabetes doctor, but the last we heard was that she was blind and now fighting renal failure as well. So sad.

I have a better one doc, make Keto foods and snacks cheaper and much more of a variety of products. Low carb is essential to controlling sugar intake, thus, make low car foods and snacks much, much cheaper and a much wider variety of affordable snack foods

slurp. If much suck required, it's a SLORP. If patient awake (only looking-orb numb), sound effects are manditory.

Smear is only a marginally better term than scrape..

I have a feeling that he like horror movies judging from his thumbnails. They look like some scenes from a horror game -.-

What do nasal bridges have to do with ophthalmology, other than that being where glasses rest?

I'm first this time, for sure

I’m so glad you had such a positive experience with your live shows! I love when you talk about life at the beginning of these eye episodes.