Diabetes can cause serious eye conditions that may result in sight loss such as diabetic retinopathy, temporary blurring and cataract.

Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetes can damage blood vessels. These vessels in the eyes are especially vulnerable to damage. One of the most serious complication of diabetes for the eye is the development of diabetic retinopathy. In the early stages of retinopathy, fluid can leak from small blood vessels in the retina. The macula is the center of the retina which controls our sharp reading vision.If fluid leaks from the macula, then objects may appear blurry.

Proliferative retinopathy is an advanced form of retinopathy. Proliferative retinopathy occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow on the retina and sometimes into other parts of the eye. If these vessels bleed into the vitreous - the clear fluid in the centre of the eye, light cant reach the retina and vision can become cloudy. The blood may be slowly re-absorbed and vision can return to normal, but if the bleeding continues, vision may be cloudy until the problem is treated. Tissue can also grow along with the abnormal blood vessels, distorting vision or making objects appear blurry. Over time, the tissue can shrink, pulling the retina away from its base.

If the blood doesnt reabsorb or if the tissue affects your vision, the vitreous may need to be surgically removed to avoid loss of vision. All these problems of the eyes can be prevented if timely treatment is sought for diabetes.