If Diabetes can damage the small blood vessels in your retina which is the inside layer of your eye. This is called diabetic retinopathy and it can cause leaking, bleeding and eventually scarring of the retina and/or retinal detachments. This is the leading cause of blindness in the U.S. today. You may not know you are developing diabetic retinopathy until you start to experience vision loss. It can progress silently for years without noticeable symptoms. Yearly eye exams are essential when you have diabetes. Our skilled optometrists can catch problems early if you come in for annual eye exams! It is also extremely important to keep blood glucose levels as normal as possible to prevent retina damage.