Preventing diabetic eye disease, or retinopathy, is important. Long-term diabetes can cause blood vessels in the retina of the eye to break down, leading to loss of vision and even blindness. Doctors don’t know the cause.
There are two things people with diabetes can do to slow, and perhaps prevent that complication, with the help of their doctors. The first is to try to keep their blood sugar and blood pressure as close to normal as possible. Secondly, they should have regular eye exams with eye drops to detect any early signs of eye disease, such as small problems in the blood vessels of the retina.