It is important to note that one may not have any symptoms at all with significant degrees of diabetic retinopathy, although gradual blurring of vision may occur if macular edema is present. Sight is usually unaffected by background diabetic retinopathy and changes in the eyes can go unnoticed unless detected by a medical eye examination. When bleeding occurs if proliferative diabetic retinopathy is present, the sight may become hazy, spotty, or even disappear altogether. While there is usually no pain associated with diabetic retinopathy or hemorrhaging in the eye, this more severe form of diabetic retinopathy, proliferative retinopathy, requires immediate medical attention. A complete medical eye examination and appropriate treatment by an ophthalmologist is the best prevention against eye damage from diabetic retinopathy.
Severe retinopathy can be present without symptoms and be improved with treatment.
Therefore, people with diabetes should be aware of risks of developing visual problems and should have their eyes examined regularly. Vitrectomy surgery can restore useful vision in some diabetic patients whose retinopathy is too advanced for laser surgery.