Diabetic retinopathy can damage vision before noticeable symptoms appear. Ophthalmologists advise people with diabetes to have regular retinal examinations because early changes may go unnoticed.
The condition damages small blood vessels in the retina. Later symptoms can include blurred or distorted vision, dark spots or floaters, difficulty seeing in low light and sudden vision loss. Having no complaints does not rule out early changes.
Ophthalmologists Mahipal Singh Sachdev and Abhishek Dave stressed the importance of regular examinations in interviews with the Times of India. Indian consensus guidance recommends annual screening for patients with diabetes who have no detected retinopathy. A clinician can set later follow-up intervals based on the patient’s condition.
The ICMR-INDIAB study estimated diabetes prevalence in India at 11.4% and prediabetes at 15.3%. Those figures refer to metabolic conditions in the population overall, not the prevalence of retinopathy. A separate survey in 21 districts found diabetes in 11.8% of participants aged 50 and older.
Diabetes duration and HbA1c levels are associated with retinal damage risk. Managing blood sugar, blood pressure and lipids may reduce the risk of complications, but it does not replace eye examinations. Patients should discuss treatment and screening frequency with a clinician.