You may never notice changes in your vision. A medical examination is the only way to find changes inside your eye. When bleeding occurs, your sight may become hazy, spotty or even disappear altogether. While there is no pain, proliferative retinopathy is a severe form of the disease and requires immediate medical attention. Pregnancy and high blood pressure may aggravate diabetic retinopathy.
Serious retinopathy can be present without any symptoms.
The disease can improve with treatment. To find diabetic retinopathy, the ophthalmologist looks at the inside of the eye using an instrument called an ophthalmoscope. If your ophthalmologist finds diabetic retinopathy, he or she may order color photographs of the retina or a special test called fluorescein angiography to find out if you need treatment. Fluorescein angiography is a test where dye is injected in your arm and special photos of your eye are taken. In many cases treatment is not necessary, but you will need to continue having regular eye exams.