What are the signs and symptoms of diabetic retinopathy?
In the early form of diabetic retinopathy called non-proliferative or background retinopathy you might have no symptoms at all. In 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, knitting etc. You might have blurred vision. If the abnormal blood vessels associated with proliferative retinopathy bleed, vision may become spotty, hazy, or disappear completely. In later stages, the disease may lead to new blood vessel growth over the retina. The new blood vessels can cause scar tissue to develop, which can pull the retina away from the back of the eye. This is known as retinal detachment, and can lead to blindness if untreated. In addition, abnormal blood vessels can grow on the iris, which can lead to glaucoma. How to diagnose Diabetic Retinopathy? * Your ophthalmologist can tell you if you show signs of diabetic eye disease by looking at the inside of the eye (i.e.
