Diabetes is characterized by high blood sugar levels. The hormone insulin is responsible for converting the sugar level or glucose in blood into energy for the body to use as it sees fit. Insulin uses the glucose and hence reduces the blood sugar level. Excessive blood sugar can have serious consequences to the health. Thus diabetes is a disease that interferes with the bodies ability to process sugar by impeding or destroying the ability of insulin to work in the body. A person with diabetes can suffer from many ancillary diseases that are a consequence of diabetes. One such disease is known as diabetic retinopathy. This article will discuss diabetic retinopathy and it's causes.

Diabetic retinopathy, as the name suggests affects the retina and the ability of the eyes to function normally. It is often a consequence of having diabetes over a long period of time. It is usually very hard to detect by the individual until the condition has taken hold so diabetics are always advised to get their eyes checked on a regular basis.

High sugar levels in the blood are thought to damage blood vessels over time. This damage is particularly evident in the extremities of the body like the feet or on thin blood vessels that can be found around the retina of the eye.

Over time micro aneurysms will occur on the retina's blood vessels. These are weaknesses in the walls of the blood vessels that cause the vessel to balloon out in certain areas. These aneurysms are prone to burst because they are thinner and weaker. Blood vessels around the retina also become blocked. As more become blocked the retina becomes starved of blood and more blood vessels grow in response to this. These new blood vessels are thin and weak too.

As diabetic retinopathy becomes more entrenched it enters a phase termed proliferative retinopathy. At this stage the weakened and new blood vessels can leak blood into the vitreous humor or solution that is in the eye. Depending on how severe this leakage is the sufferer can experience vision loss or blindness.

Prevention or management of the disease is better than any treatment. The best way to prevent or at least manage the condition is to keep blood sugar levels at a normal level as much as possible. Commonly this involves eating the correct foods and plenty of exercise. As many diabetics are likely to suffer from diabetic retinopathy it is also a good idea to get eye check ups regularly so that the condition of the blood vessels around the retina can be monitored.

Treatments for diabetic retinopathy involve laser surgery that aims to shrink or seal blood vessels around the retina but this can only stop the condition worsening. If vision loss has already occurred this vision will be lost for good.

Diabetic retinopathy is one of the more common diseases that will affect anybody that has been a diabetic for any length of time. It is, effectively, blood leaking into the eye which causes the eye to malfunction and loss of vision. By living a healthier lifestyle and consistently monitoring the condition of the eyes, diabetic retinopathy can be minimized and treated.