Diabetic retinopathy
Affects 1 in 3 patients living with diabetes
This is what a patient with diabetic retinopathy looks like
Drag the central bar to compare before and after
Before
After
- If detected early, it can be treated and better yet, good visual health can be preserved and blindness avoided
- It is one of the main causes of blindness in people of working age
- Chronic hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) damages the blood vessels that nourish the retina causing the appearance of new abnormal veins, which leak fats and blood that further damage the retina
Symptoms
- Dark spots in visual field
- Blurred vision
- Double vision
- Difficulty seeing in low-light environments
- Permanent blindness
Risk factors
- Type 1 or type 2 diabetes
- Poorly controlled blood glucose levels
- Hypertension + Diabetes