Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness in the United States. Diabetes can cause a variety of changes in the eye. The most significant and dangerous of these changes is Diabetic Retinopathy. This condition occurs when, due to diabetes, the vessels of the retina become ‘leaky’, allowing blood to slip through their walls and into the surrounding retinal tissue.

This leakage and the resulting tissue damage can cause permanent, sudden, and catastrophic vision loss. If detected early enough, a laser can be used to stop the leakage. Diabetic patients should have comprehensive eye exams with dilation every year.