Diabetic Retinopathy (Eye Damage)

Although improving your blood glucose control may temporarily make your eye disease worse, over the long term, it will help. The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) monitored patients with mild diabetic eye disease for years. This study... Full Answer

Eye problems are a common complication of diabetes and an ophthalmologist (a doctor who specializes in eye care) can help preserve your sight. An ophthalmologist can tell if your eyes have been affected by diabetes. If so, an eye doctor can treat your... Full Answer

Proliferative retinopathy, the most advanced stage of diabetic retinopathy, is marked by the spontaneous growth of new blood vessels, which are more fragile than the normal retinal blood vessels and are more prone to breaking and bleeding. These vessels... Full Answer

Nonproliferative retinopathy is caused by decreased blood flow within the retina and is marked by a number of additional changes. These include venous beading, which causes veins to resemble a string of beads caused by localized areas of dilation and... Full Answer

Diabetes can cause several eye problems. Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness. Fortunately, many eye problems are treatable if they are identified early. One of the most serious eye problems caused by diabetes is retinopathy. In this disease, fragile... Full Answer

Surgical treatment for diabetic retinopathy is removal of the vitreous gel (vitrectomy). Vitrectomy does not cure the disease, but it may improve vision in people who have developed bleeding into the vitreous gel (vitreous hemorrhage), retinal... Full Answer

Diabetic retinopathy begins as a mild disease. During the early stage of the disease, the small blood vessels in the retina become weaker and develop small bulges called microaneurysms. These microaneurysms are the earliest signs of retinopathy and may... Full Answer

All people with diabetes-both type 1 and type 2-are at risk. That's why everyone with diabetes should get a comprehensive dilated eye exam at least once a year. The longer someone has diabetes, the more likely he or she is to get diabetic retinopathy.... Full Answer

You can get cataracts and glaucoma if you have diabetes. People without diabetes can get these eye problems, too. But people with diabetes get these problems more often and at a younger age.    • A cataract is a cloud over the lens of... Full Answer

Blurry vision. Floating spots. Distorted images. If excess glucose (high blood sugar) damages the blood vessels that feed your retina, you may develop an eye problem called diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy often starts with no symptoms,... Full Answer