Illinois Society for the Prevention of Blindness

Diabetic eye disease refers to a group of eye problems that people with diabetes may face as a complication of this disease. All can cause severe vision loss or even blindness.

Diabetic eye disease may include:

• Diabetic retinopathy-damage to the blood vessels in the retina.
• Cataract-clouding of the eye's lens.
• Glaucoma-increase in fluid pressure inside the eye that leads to optic nerve damage and loss of vision.