Diabetic retinopathy is caused by damage to the blood vessels in the tissue at the back of the eye (retina). Poorly controlled blood sugar is a risk factor.

Early symptoms include floaters, blurriness, dark areas of vision and difficulty perceiving colours. Blindness can occur.

Mild cases may be treated with careful diabetes management. Advanced cases may require laser treatment or surgery.

Diabetic retinopathy is caused by prolonged high blood glucose levels Over time, high sugar glucose levels can weaken and damage the small blood vessels within the retina. This may cause haemorrhages, exudates and even swelling of the retina. This then starves the retina of oxygen, and abnormal vessels may grow.

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that can cause vision loss and blindness in people who have diabetes. It affects blood vessels in the retina (the light-sensitive layer of tissue in the back of your eye).

If you have diabetes, it’s important to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. Diabetic retinopathy may not have any symptoms at first  but finding it early can help you take steps to protect your vision. 

Managing your diabetes by staying physically active, eating healthy, and taking your medicine can also help you prevent or delay vision loss.  

The early stages of diabetic retinopathy usually don’t have any symptoms. Some people notice changes in their vision, like trouble reading or seeing faraway objects. These changes may come and go. 

In later stages of the disease, blood vessels in the retina start to bleed into the vitreous (gel-like fluid that fills your eye). If this happens, you may see dark, floating spots or streaks that look like cobwebs. Sometimes, the spots clear up on their own but it’s important to get treatment right away. Without treatment, the bleeding can happen again, get worse, or cause scarring.

Anyone with any kind of diabetes can get diabetic retinopathy including people with type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes (a type of diabetes that can develop during pregnancy).   

Your risk increases the longer you have diabetes. Over time, more than half of people with diabetes will develop diabetic retinopathy. The good news is that you can lower your risk of developing diabetic retinopathy by controlling your diabetes.  

Women with diabetes who become pregnant  or women who develop gestational diabetes  are at high risk for getting diabetic retinopathy. If you have diabetes and are pregnant, have a comprehensive dilated eye exam as soon as possible. Ask your doctor if you’ll need additional eye exams during your pregnancy.

Diabetic retinopathy is caused by high blood sugar due to diabetes. Over time, having too much sugar in your blood can damage your retina  the part of your eye that detects light and sends signals to your brain through a nerve in the back of your eye (optic nerve).  

Diabetes damages blood vessels all over the body. The damage to your eyes starts when sugar blocks the tiny blood vessels that go to your retina, causing them to leak fluid or bleed. To make up for these blocked blood vessels, your eyes then grow new blood vessels that don’t work well. These new blood vessels can leak or bleed easily. 

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Regards,

Morgan E,

Editorial Manager,

Journal of Clinical Diabetes.

E-mail: clindiabetes@eclinicalsci.com