Overview
Diabetic retinopathy is damage to the small blood vessels at the back of the eye caused by years of high blood sugar — a leading cause of blindness in working-age adults. It is silent until vision is already threatened, which is why every diabetic needs a dilated eye check at least yearly. Caught early, laser and injection treatments protect sight.
Symptoms
- No symptoms in early stages
- Gradual blurring of vision
- Floating spots or cobweb-like shapes
- Dark or empty patches in vision
- Sudden vision loss from bleeding (advanced)
- Difficulty reading or seeing detail
Causes & risk factors
- Long duration of diabetes
- Poorly controlled blood sugar
- Uncontrolled blood pressure and cholesterol
- Kidney disease and smoking accelerating damage
- Pregnancy can worsen existing retinopathy
Treatment & self-care
Strict control of blood sugar and blood pressure slows the disease; eye specialists treat sight-threatening stages with laser or injections into the eye that preserve vision. A dilated retinal examination every year — even with perfect vision — is the safeguard. Sudden floaters or vision loss in a diabetic is an emergency.
See a doctor urgently if
- Diabetic and no eye exam in the past year
- New floaters, flashes or a curtain over vision — same day
- Any drop in vision
- Pregnant with diabetes (eyes need closer monitoring)