Normally, you have two kidneys, one on either side of your spine under the lower ribs. They are pink in colour and shaped like kidney beans. This may cause damage to the retina of the eye and result in loss of vision. Also, the delicate blood vessels in the filters of the kidney may be damaged. Because smoking also damages the blood vessels, it worsens the complications of diabetes.
Diabetes can also damage the nerves in many parts of the body.
When the bladder is affected, it may be difficult for you to pass urine. As a diabetic, your urine has a high sugar content. You could have serious kidney damage without being aware of it. There are usually no specific symptoms of diabetic kidney disease until the kidneys fail completely. There are now tests which help to detect kidney damage at an early stage.