What kinds of vision problems do people with diabetes experience?
People with diabetes can develop a progressive condition called diabetic retinopathy, and it can cause either moderate or severe vision loss. Diabetic retinopathy is caused by high blood sugar levels. These high levels of sugar lead to a lack of blood supply to parts of the retina and also to leakage of fluid through the blood vessels in the retina. The leakage of fluid can cause swelling in the retina called macular edema that can lead to mild to moderate vision loss. In the advanced stage of retinopathy known as proliferative retinopathy, the lack of blood supply can cause new, abnormal blood vessels to grow. It can also cause secondary damage such as retinal detachment or bleeding into the eye, leading to severe vision loss. What are the risk factors for diabetic retinopathy? High blood sugar is perhaps the most important factor, but high blood pressure and high lipid levels such as cholesterol also substantially increase the risk of getting diabetic retinopathy. So all three need t
