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Scottsdale Eye Physicians & Surgeons, PC
Diabetic Eye

Diabetic Retinopathy

Protect Your Vision—Manage diabetes with expert eye care

What is Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic Retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that affects the eyes. It occurs when high blood sugar levels cause damage to the tiny blood vessels in the retina—the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye. If left untreated, diabetic retinopathy can lead to vision loss or even blindness.

This condition is one of the leading causes of vision impairment in adults, and it often progresses without early warning signs. That’s why regular eye exams are critical for anyone living with diabetes.

How Diabetes Affects the Eyes

Over time, uncontrolled blood sugar levels can weaken or block the small blood vessels in the retina. This can lead to:

  • Microaneurysms – Small bulges in blood vessels that may leak fluid.

  • Hemorrhages – Bleeding into the retinal tissue.

  • Retinal swelling (macular edema) – Causes blurry or distorted vision.

  • New abnormal blood vessels (proliferative retinopathy) – These can cause scarring, retinal detachment, or serious vision loss.

Symptoms of Diabetic Retinopathy

In the early stages, there may be no noticeable symptoms. As the condition progresses, you may experience:

  • Blurred or fluctuating vision

  • Dark or empty spots in your vision

  • Poor night vision

  • Sudden vision loss

If you have diabetes, don’t wait for symptoms—schedule a comprehensive eye exam at least once a year.

Who Is at Risk?

You may be at higher risk for diabetic retinopathy if you:

  • Have Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes

  • Have had diabetes for several years

  • Have poorly controlled blood sugar levels

  • Have high blood pressure or high cholesterol

  • Are pregnant and have diabetes

Diagnosis & Testing

At Scottsdale Eye, we use the latest diagnostic technology to detect diabetic retinopathy early. Your exam may include:

  • Dilated eye exam

  • Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT)

  • Retinal photography

  • Fluorescein angiography (to examine blood flow in the retina)

Treatment Options

Treatment depends on the stage and severity of your condition. Our eye care team will tailor a plan just for you, which may include:

  • Monitoring – Early stages may only require regular checkups.

  • Laser Therapy – To stop or slow the leakage of blood and fluid.

  • Injections – Anti-VEGF medications can reduce swelling and inhibit abnormal blood vessel growth.

  • Vitrectomy – A surgical option for advanced cases involving bleeding or retinal detachment.

Managing your blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol also plays a vital role in slowing the progression of diabetic retinopathy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Symptoms of dry eye syndrome may affect one or both eyes and often include: burning or gritty feeling in the eyes, mucus in the eyes, sensitivity to light, eye redness, difficulty seeing at night, watery and stinging eyes, blurred vision.
At first, the cloudiness in your vision caused by a cataract may affect only a small part of the eye’s lens. You may not notice any vision loss. As the cataract grows larger, it clouds more of your lens. More clouding changes the light passing through the lens. This may lead to symptoms you notice more.
Conventional treatment for disorders such as nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism typically relies on corrective prescription lenses. Disorders such as cataracts, glaucoma, macular degeneration, and retinal detachment require advanced medical and surgical treatments.
A medical exam includes diagnosis and treatment of an eye disease or malady (like glaucoma, conjunctivitis, or cataracts). A routine eye exam, on the other hand, includes diagnosis and treatment of non-medical complaints, like astigmatism, or farsightedness.
The symptoms can start so slowly that you may not notice them. The only way to find out if you have glaucoma is to get a comprehensive dilated eye exam. There’s no cure for glaucoma, but early treatment can often stop the damage and protect your vision.