You may not realise that there is anything wrong with your eyesight, and so regular eye checks are extremely important. The retina is made up of a delicate tissue that is sensitive to light, rather like the film in a camera. At the centre of the retina is the macula which is a small area about the size of a pinhead. This is the most highly specialised part of the retina and it is vital because it enables you to see fine detail and read small print. Filling the cavity of the eye in front of the retina is a clear jelly-like substance called the vitreous humour.
Diabetes can affect the eye in a number of ways.
These usually involve the fine network of blood vessels in the retina - hence the term diabetic retinopathy. Temporary blurring Your vision may become blurred for a few days or weeks while your diabetes is first being controlled. This is due to the swelling of the lens of the eye and will soon clear without treatment soon after the diabetes is controlled. Cataracts can be successfully removed by surgery and usually it is possible to insert a lens implant. However this is unsuitable for some people and you will be told if this is the case.