High blood pressure should be vigorously treated. Senile cataracts are common in older diabetics. Photocoagulation may help when vision is affected by a focal area of retinal edema, and may delay the onset of proliferative retinopathy. Retinal detachment may be treated with scleral buckling, Photocoagulation, and vitrectomy. Low vision aids and increased illumination may be helpful when visual function is maintained.
Diabetic retinopathy is one of the leading causes of visual impairment.
It is the most common cause of blindness in younger people throughout the world, although the visual outlook for the adult onset type is better than for the juvenile type.