Health Library

Diabetic retinopathy is a disease of the retina. The retina is a light-sensitive membrane at the back of the eye. Retinopathy is a complication of diabetes and a common cause of bad eyesight. It can eventually cause blindness. Early detection and treatment of diabetic retinopathy is important in keeping your eyes healthy and preventing further damage to them.

What are the causes?

Diabetic retinopathy is caused by blood sugar (glucose) levels that are too high for a long period of time. Blood glucose levels that are too high for a long time can:

1. Damage small blood vessels in the retina, allowing blood to leak through the vessel walls.
2. Cause new, abnormal blood vessels to grow on the retina. This can scar the retina in the advanced stage of diabetic retinopathy.

What increases the risk?

You are more likely to develop this condition if:

1. You have had diabetes for a long time.
2. You have poorly controlled blood glucose.
3. You have high blood pressure.

What are the signs or symptoms?

In the early stages of diabetic retinopathy, there are often no symptoms. As the condition gets worse, symptoms may include:

1. Blurred vision. This is usually caused by swelling due to abnormal blood glucose levels. The blurriness may go away when blood glucose levels return to normal.
2. Moving specks or dark spots (floaters) in your vision. These can be caused by a small amount of bleeding (hemorrhage) from retinal blood vessels.
3. Missing parts of your field of vision, such as vision at the sides of the eyes. This can be caused by larger retinal hemorrhages.
4. Difficulty reading.
5. Double vision.
6. Pain in one or both eyes.
7. Feeling pressure in one or both eyes.
8. Trouble seeing straight lines. Straight lines may not look straight.
9. Redness of the eyes that does not go away.

How is this diagnosed?

This condition may be diagnosed with an eye exam. For this exam, your eye specialist puts drops in your eyes that enlarge your pupils. The retina is then checked for changes in its blood vessels.

How is this treated?

This condition may be treated by:

a. Keeping your blood glucose and blood pressure within a target range.

b. Using a type of laser beam to seal your retinal blood vessels. This stops them from bleeding and decreases pressure in your eye.

c. Getting shots of medicine in the eye to reduce swelling of the center of the retina (macula). You may be given:

1. Anti-VEGF medicine. This medicine can help slow vision loss, and may even improve vision.
2. Steroid medicine.

Follow these instructions at home:

1. Follow your diabetes management plan as directed by your health care provider. This may include exercising regularly and eating a healthy diet.
2. Keep your blood glucose level and your blood pressure in your target range. Your health care provider will tell you what your target is.
3. Check your blood glucose as often as directed.
4. Take over the counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider. This includes insulin and oral diabetes medicine.
5. Get your eyes checked at least once every year. An eye specialist can usually see diabetic retinopathy developing long before it starts to cause problems. In many cases, it can be treated to prevent problems from starting in the first place.
6. Do not use any products that contain nicotine or tobacco, such as cigarettes, e-cigarettes, and chewing tobacco. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.
7. Keep all follow-up visits. This is important.

Contact a health care provider if:

1. You notice gradual blurring or other changes in your vision over time.
2. You notice that your glasses or contact lenses do not make things look as sharp as they once did.
3. You have trouble reading or seeing details at a distance with either eye.
4. You notice a change in your vision or notice that parts of your field of vision appear missing or hazy.
5. You suddenly see moving specks or dark spots in the field of vision of either eye.

Get help right away if:

1. You have sudden pain or pressure in one or both eyes.
2. You suddenly lose vision or a curtain or veil seems to come across your eyes.
3. You have a sudden burst of floaters in your vision.

Summary

1. Diabetic retinopathy is a disease of the retina. The retina is a light-sensitive membrane at the back of the eye. Retinopathy is a complication of diabetes.
2. Get your eyes checked at least once every year. An eye specialist can usually see diabetic retinopathy developing long before it starts to cause problems. In many cases, it can be treated to prevent problems from starting in the first place.
3. Keep your blood glucose and your blood pressure in your target range. Follow your diabetes management plan as directed by your health care provider.
4. Get help right away if you have sudden pain or sudden pressure in one or both eyes. Also, get help if you have a sudden burst of floaters in your vision.

This information is not intended to replace advice given to you by your health care provider. Make sure you discuss any questions you have with your health care provider.