Over time, background retinopathy usually worsens, and can lead to more serious forms of retinopathy. In proliferative retinopathy, abnormal blood vessels start growing on the surface of the retina. These new blood vessels are fragile, and break and bleed easily. They can bleed into the vitreous and prevent light rays from reaching the retina. As new blood vessels continue to grow, the risk for bleeding increases.
Scars can also form on the retina, which can cause the retina to detach from the back of the eye.
This can lead to blindness if untreated. Return to Top of Page Symptoms Diabetic retinopathy may not cause any symptoms in the early stages. Later, you may notice blurring of vision, or, with proliferative retinopathy, partial or total loss of vision if bleeding occurs. The lack of symptoms makes it extremely important to have annual dilated eye exams. Return to Top of Page Treatment Background retinopathy or minimal proliferative retinopathy may not require any medical treatment.