Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy


  • Fluctuations in Vision
  • Floaters
  • Blurred Vision
  • Sight Loss

Unfortunately, there are no obvious symptoms, which people susceptible to retinopathy can look out for. Especially in the early stages, it is impossible for you to tell whether or not you have the condition. It is therefore imperative that you are receiving medical eye tests by an eye care professional on an annual basis and that you contact your doctor/optician immediately if you have any concerns.

There are however some minor signs you can look out for if the condition is in the later and more aggressive stages. Firstly, an obvious symptom to recognise from the outset is blurred vision. This is one of the first stages in vision loss and is caused by a build up of fluid, placing pressure on the retina and macula. There may also be dark streaks or a red film blocking and altering your vision and colour perceptions. This may be primarily due to the onset of retinopathy affecting the cells responsible for our vision, which are located within the retina. The final and most obvious symptom is losses in vision all together, however, this will most probably not be until the very final stages and it is likely you will experience some form of symptom before then to diagnose it. If you do encounter any sort of vision loss, however small or unnoticeable enough to be affecting you, you should consult an eye care professional immediately.

There are other symptoms which can be less obvious to identify, but should still be considered when checking for symptoms. For example, spots floating in your vision are often a sign of damage to the retina, which may or may not be caused directly by retinopathy. This could be attributed to scarring, which develops after abnormal abscesses from blocked blood vessels. The scars on the retina can block our peripheral vision. Your night vision could also be affected, which may be difficult to detect. It is important to note also that it is possible that you could be experiencing these conditions due to some other complications and may not have retinopathy. When checking for symptoms, you must also be aware that retinopathy usually affects both eyes.

It is not uncommon for fluctuations in vision to occur, so symptoms can come and go. Blood sugar levels oscillate which, depending on the levels, cause the lens in the eye to either swell, or shrink. This means changes in vision can vary and be sudden, so it is essential you are still aware and are checked for diabetes retinopathy, even if the symptoms are only brief or inconsistent. Where retinopathy is concerned, there are no early warning signs and it is important that you do not get into a mindset of simply waiting for the symptoms to happen. Frequent, (annual) and comprehensive dilated eye examinations could potentially save your vision. Providing it has been diagnosed early enough, it may just be as simple as controlling your blood sugar levels with more accuracy to reduce your chances of having to undergo any sort of surgical procedure.

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