Diabetic retinopathy is a common form of diabetic eye disease. It usually only affects people who have had diabetes for a number of years, but it can be a serious problem.

Diabetic retinopathy occurs when shifts in blood sugar levels cause retinal blood vessels to swell – this can cause fluid to leak into the rear of the eye, damaging the lining that turns light into images. As the condition grows worse, more blood vessels become blocked and scar tissue starts to develop. The condition can lead to a detached retina, glaucoma, or even blindness.

Luckily enough, diabetic retinopathy can be treated through proper blood sugar management – in fact, problems can be reversed if the condition is caught early. That's why you should learn these common symptoms of diabetic retinopathy.

1. Blurred Vision

As fluid leaks into the retinal tissue, your ability to focus your eyes starts to suffer, so people with diabetic retinopathy often start to notice their vision becoming blurry or clouded. You may start to notice brief periods of double vision, and diabetic retinopathy often leads to difficult reading or seeing objects close up. If left untreated, such visual impairment will get worse, eventually leading to total blindness.

2. Floaters

Floaters refer to spots in your vision. They often look black or grey, and they may look more like strings or cobwebs than round spots. It's actually relatively easy to miss their presence since they develop slowly, but you'll be more likely to notice them when you look at a plain bright background, such as a blue sky. When you try to look at floaters, they will dart away – you cannot look at them directly.

3. Loss of Colour

The growth of new blood vessels and the leaking of fluid can slowly impact your ability to see colour. You may notice that colours have lost their vibrancy if you suffer from diabetic retinopathy. Again, this happens slowly, so people with diabetes should make a conscious effort to monitor how well they're seeing colours.

4. Pain or Pressure

Diabetic retinopathy often leads to macula edema, or swelling of the macula. This creates pressure within the eye, and you may start feel that pressure as the condition worsens. You won't be able to notice any changes in the size of your eye but it may feel significantly bigger than it used to. The pressure created by macula edema can develop from mild discomfort to outright pain.

Talk to your eye doctor if you experience any of these issues.