Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that is caused by changes in the blood vessels of the eye.  The retina is a nerve layer at the back of the eye that sends images to your brain.

When blood vessels in the retina are damaged, they may leak fluid or blood.  This can blur or distort images sent to the brain.

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of new blindness among adults in the United States.   People with untreated diabetes are 25 times more at risk for blindness than the general population.

If you have diabetes, it is important to know that today, with current technologies and treatments, only a small percentage of people who develop this diabetic retinopathy have serious vision problems.

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