Diabetic retinopathy is the most common form of diabetic eye disease. Diabetic retinopathy usually only affects people who have had diabetes for a long time and can result in blindness.
Diabetes retinopathy is just one type of diabetic eye disease.
Diabetic retinopathy is caused by prolonged high blood glucose levels. Over time, this causes damage to 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. Good blood glucose control helps to lower diabetes retinopathy risks.
Symptoms of diabetic retinopathy
Typical symptoms of retinopathy include:
- Sudden changes in vision
- Blurred vision
- Pain in the eye
- Seeing spots
- Loss of vision
- Double vision
- Floaters in your vision
- Night visision loss