Can Diabetic Retinopathy Cause Blindness?

Diabetes is a condition that deteriorates your health. It not only makes you physically weak but also takes a dig at different organs of your body. One of the conditions which people with diabetes might suffer is Diabetic retinopathy.

Diabetic retinopathy is a condition that affects the blood vessels of the retina in people with diabetes. People might not see the symptoms in the early stage of the disease; however, it can affect the vision in a long term. Therefore, doctors suggest eye examination at least once a year. As diabetic retinopathy is a disease that damages the retina, many people wonder whether it can cause permanent blindness.

Yes, people who have diabetic retinopathy can suffer from blindness or vision loss at the advanced stage of the disease. However, it’ll only happen to the ones who left it undiagnosed and untreated at the early stage. It happens because in the advanced stage, the retina starts developing new blood vessels. The new blood vessels are often fragile which might lead to bleeding. The minor bleeding leads to seeing of dark spots whereas excess bleeding can block the vision completely.

It is difficult to witness any symptoms at the early stage as there are no prominent symptoms affecting visibility. The symptoms start to develop at the advanced stage. However, with few precautions, one can diagnose the disease at an early stage and prevent it to spread further.

• A dilated eye examination at least once a year, even if you do not have any visible problem.
• Manage your diabetes. High sugar levels tend to damage the blood vessels, so managing diabetes is the best way to prevent the disease.
• Manage your blood pressure and cholesterol. It keeps the eyes and overall health on track.
• Physical exercise keeps your body fit and hence, leads to controlling your blood sugar level.
• Quit smoking.