Diabetic Retinopathy is simply a complex phrase that means “eye problems due to diabetes.” It is a complication that stems from the damage that diabetes does to the blood vessels that line the retina – the organ that is sensitive to light – at the back of the eye. You may not even know you have diabetic retinopathy at first because there are often no symptoms in the early stages. Even when it does cause mild symptoms, people often do not make the connection and do not get their eyes checked. That’s why you need to see your doctor at the first sign of eye problems, and this goes double if you have or are at risk for diabetes.
It doesn’t matter whether you have Type I or Type II Diabetes. Both types can cause retinopathy. The longer you have the disease, the more the chances that you’ll develop diabetic retinopathy. In addition, when your blood sugar isn’t tightly controlled, you increase your chances of getting it.
A minimum of a yearly eye exam is recommended when you have diabetes.
