Free guide · Scarlet Beast En español →
Diabetic retinopathy: the signs, who is at risk, the yearly eye exam, protecting your sight, and treatment
For anyone with diabetes (type 1, type 2, or diabetes in pregnancy) who wants to protect their eyesight; anyone just told they have diabetic retinopathy or diabetic macular edema; anyone with blurry vision or dark floating spots; anyone pregnant with diabetes; and anyone facing eye injections, laser treatment or surgery. The National Eye Institute (NEI, part of the NIH) says diabetic retinopathy can cause vision loss and blindness in people with diabetes; that it is the most common cause of vision loss for people with diabetes; that it may have no symptoms at first, so everyone with diabetes should get a dilated eye exam at least once a year; that managing your diabetes is the best way to lower your risk; and that treatment can stop your vision from getting worse. This page passes on, by name, what NEI says: the signs, who is at risk and why, the eye exam, protecting your sight, and injections, laser and surgery. It builds the words to say to an eye doctor, and prints a card to keep.
Right now
- Dark floating spots or streaks like cobwebs, or vision getting worse? Get treatment right away, even if the spots clear up on their own (NEI). Pain or worsening vision after an eye injection: call your eye doctor right away; it could be an infection (NEI). If you cannot reach them, or you suddenly lose vision, go to an emergency room, and call 911 if you cannot get there; do not drive yourself (ours).
- Very low or very high blood sugar with confusion, fainting or trouble breathing? Call 911 (ours). Our diabetes guide has more.
- Thoughts of suicide? Call or text 988, any hour (ours).
More help
- Linked to it, on this site: Diabetes · Prediabetes · Blood sugar log · High blood pressure · High cholesterol · Cataracts · Glaucoma · Eye care · Low vision.
- Care and costs: When you need a doctor and can’t pay · My medicines list · When medicine costs too much · Get ready for your appointment.
- In a crisis: Help right now (988, 911). All our free tools.
Your eyes or your sight, and not sure this is the right page? The pages on this site for a hurt or pink eye, glaucoma, cataracts, diabetes and the eyes, macular degeneration, a detached retina, dry eye, fading sight and eye care you can afford, on one list.
Other guides on this site that go with this page
Free to read. We chose these ourselves; no professional did. Each guide was written with AI and has not been reviewed by a professional. They are general information, not advice.
- Diabetes and pregnancy: getting ready, the risks, the blood glucose targets, insulin, and after the baby: diabetes and pregnancy (type 1 or type 2 diabetes, pregnant or planning a pregnancy): getting ready, the risks for the baby and you, the blood glucose targets, insulin and medicines, and after the baby.
- Diabetes and your mouth: gum disease, dry mouth, the signs to check for, the dentist, and the cost: diabetes and your mouth: how diabetes changes your saliva, gum disease (gingivitis and periodontitis), dry mouth and the other mouth problems, the signs to check for, what to tell your dentist, getting ready for dental work, and keeping your mouth healthy when money is tight.
This page and its wording were written with AI (Claude) for Scarlet Beast (our AI policy). No doctor or nurse has reviewed it. The facts were read on October 16, 2026 on four National Eye Institute (NIH) pages: Diabetic Retinopathy (last updated September 11, 2025), Injections to Treat Eye Conditions (March 24, 2026), Laser Treatment for Diabetic Retinopathy (December 6, 2024) and Vitrectomy (December 6, 2024). Ours: going to an emergency room if you cannot reach your eye doctor or suddenly lose vision, 911 if you cannot get there, and not driving yourself; 911 for very low or very high blood sugar with confusion, fainting or trouble breathing; 988 for thoughts of suicide; never changing insulin or another diabetes medicine on your own; what to bring to a dilated exam; the questions to ask at a visit; health centers and medicine costs when money is tight; and the order of the steps. What we left out: two numbers where NEI’s English and Spanish pages disagree (how many people with diabetes get diabetic retinopathy, and how many get macular edema), every drug name on NEI’s injections page, research news (medicines still being studied), doses, and clinical pages for providers. This page saves nothing and loads no trackers.