Retinopathy | Macular edemas

In diabetic retinopathy, blood vessels may swell and leak fluid or abnormal new fragile blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina, if untreated causing blindness.

Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye problems that people with diabetes may face as a complication of diabetes. All can cause severe vision loss or even blindness.

Diabetic eye disease may include:

Retinopathy is the most common diabetic eye disease and a leading cause of blindness in adults. Retinopathy is caused if the blood vessels swell and leaks or an abnormal new fragile blood vessel grows on the surface of the retina. The retina is the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. Clear retina is a necessary for proper vision.

At the beginning of diabetic retinopathy, there is no vision change but over time can get worse and even cause vision loss. Usually diabetic retinopathy affects both eyes.

Diabetic macular edema causes swelling of the retina due to leakage of fluid from blood vessels within the macula. The macula is the central portion of the retina, the special nerve endings that sense color and responsible for daytime vision.