Eye problems in people with diabetes, is known as diabetic retinopathy. It can lead to loss of vision and even blindness (Diabetic Retinopathy). Retinopathy affects the small blood vessels of the retina at the back of the eye. For most people, retinopathy will have no symptoms until the disease is quite advanced. Unfortunately, by then there is little that can be done about any vision loss. This is why early detection is so important.
There are three stages of retinopathy. Most people who have type 2 diabetes develop the mildest form (nonproliferative retinopathy). For some people, this can progress to the intermediate stage of retinopathy (pre-proliferative retinopathy), or even to the advanced stage of retinopathy (proliferative retinopathy) which carries the highest risk of blindness.