In the United States, new cases of blindness are most often caused by diabetic retinopathy. There are many causes of retinopathy. Some of the more common ones are listed below. As diabetes progresses, the blood vessels that feed the retina become damaged in different ways. However, although these new blood vessels are growing in the eye, they cannot nourish the retina and they bleed easily, releasing blood into the inner region of the eyeball, which can cause dark spots and cloudy vision.
Diabetic retinopathy begins prior to any outward signs of disease being noticed.
Once symptoms are noticed, they include poorer than normal vision, fluctuating or distorted vision, cloudy vision, dark spots, episodes of temporary blindness, or permanent blindness. Hypertensive retinopathy High blood pressure can affect the vessels in the eyes. Some blood vessels can narrow. This edema may cause distorted or decreased vision. Sickle cell retinopathy Sickle cell anemia occurs mostly in blacks and is a hereditary disease that affects the red blood cells.