Q: Will diabetes affect your vision? A: Yes, eye complications caused by diabetes, such as diabetic retinopathy, are one of the main diseases in ophthalmology at present, and they are also eye diseases with high blindness rate. The risk of blindness in diabetic patients is 25 times that in non-diabetic patients. Q: What is diabetic retinopathy? A: Diabetes is a systemic metabolic disease characterized by abnormal glucose metabolism. The increase of blood sugar will damage the large and small blood vessels of the fundus retina and the retinal nerve layer that is sensitive to light and transmits nerve impulses, causing a series of vascular injuries in the retina, which is called diabetic retinopathy. Q: What types and symptoms does it have? A: Diabetic retinopathy is mainly divided into two categories, non-proliferative ("background") retinopathy (NPDR) and proliferative retinopathy (PDR). Nonproliferative retinopathy is the earliest stage of diabetes affecting retina, which is characterized by microangiomas, bleeding and exudation. The sign of proliferative retinopathy is the formation of new blood vessels, which is an important cause of blindness and greatly increases the risk of retinal detachment. The early symptoms of diabetic retinopathy mainly include flashing sensation, decreased vision, fundus hemorrhage, exudation and macular edema. Severe cases can be manifested as large black shadows in front of the eyes, decreased vision, vitreous hemorrhage in the fundus, traction retinal detachment and so on. Q: How to prevent diabetic retinopathy? A: Controlling blood sugar is the most fundamental means to prevent diabetic retinopathy. Because retinopathy is closely related to the quality of diabetes control, when blood sugar is not well controlled, retinopathy occurs early, with high incidence and serious degree. Secondly, early detection and treatment can prevent or delay the development of diseases. People with diabetes should have regular eye examinations, regardless of whether their vision has changed. Generally, the eyesight and fundus are examined once a year. Patients with a course of more than 5 years should have their eyesight and fundus examined once every six months, and sometimes fundus fluorescein angiography is needed. Finally, diabetics should adhere to diet and medication, overcome various bad habits, maintain a good mental state, and appropriately increase outdoor activities. Q: Once diagnosed with diabetic retinopathy, what are the treatment options? A: Macular edema and proliferative retinopathy (PDR) can be treated by laser, and vitrectomy can be considered when PDR develops. The doctor will take out the vitreous body from the blood and then inject transparent liquid. Before the operation, the doctor will advise you to wait a few months or even a year to see if the glass of blood can be absorbed by yourself. If it can be absorbed by itself, there is no need for surgery. This question was answered by Li Ling, director of the inpatient department of New Hope Eye Hospital, deputy chief physician and full-time lecturer of excimer laser. Director Li is good at excimer laser therapy, eye cosmetic surgery, eye trauma, vitreoretinal surgery and modern cataract phacoemulsification.