Eye problems are common among people with diabetes.  With long standing poorly controlled diabetes, blood vessel walls in the retina weaken and bulge and leak blood and other fluid, which can cause a part of the retina called the macula to swell (macular edema) and your vision becomes distorted. Macular edema is the most common cause of blindness in people with diabetic retinopathy. About half of people with diabetic retinopathy will develop macular edema. If advanced, the retina begins to grow new blood vessels. These new vessels are weak so bleed into the vitreous (the clear gel between the lens and retina). With bleeding, you see a few dark spots that float in your vision. If there’s a lot of bleeding, your vision may be completely blocked.

You may not notice these symptoms in the early stage. A yearly dilated eye exam may help to catch early stage.

You may not notice symptoms in the early stage. That’s why it’s very important to get a dilated eye exam at least once a year to catch any problems early when treatment is most effective.