Diabetic
Retinopathy
Feature

How Can I Prevent Vision Loss?

What Are The Symptoms Of Diabetic Retinopathy?

Although diabetic retinopathy can severely damage your vision, it is not painful. In fact, the early form of diabetic retinopathy called non-proliferative or background retinopathy often produces no symptoms.

• If non-proliferative or background retinopathy leads to macular edema, you may notice a gradual blurring of your vision, and have difficulty doing close work such as reading.
• If the abnormal blood vessels associated with proliferative retinopathy bleed, vision may become spotty, hazy, or disappear completely.

However, because diabetic retinopathy often causes no symptoms even in advanced cases it is extremely important to have a yearly dilated eye exam by an ophthalmologist.

Diabetic retinopathy can be treated, and vision loss prevented if it is caught early enough.