Diabetic retinopathy

The main cause of blindness in France and many other countries is retinopathy, generally called diabetic retinopathy because it affects more than 80% of 15-year diabetic patients. This disease is another consequence of badly-controlled diabetes, with lots of hyperglycemia. It affects blood vessels which form at the back of the eye, and when there is hyperglycemia, it creates some small vesicles leading to aneurysms that can explode at any time, bleeding in the retina. These bleedings are responsable for an inflation of the retina: these are the first symptoms of retinopathy. There are two levels of retinopathy :

. Non proliferating retinopathy : deterioration of the eyesight but generally undetectable.

. Proliferating retinopathy : to repair deteriorated vessels, the retina makes new ones but more fragile. They can bleed and then affect a part of the eye leading to badly blurred vision. And if the retina heals itself, it can cause blindness.

(pictures from wikipedia)

There are some treatments to counter retinopathy, but generally it is too late when it is detected. The best option is to be treated by an opthalmologist. I have a check-up each year.