Prevention

There are steps you can take to reduce your chance of vision loss from diabetic retinopathy and its complications:

• Control your blood sugar levels. Long-term studies show that keeping blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible reduces the risk of the development and progression of retinopathy.^{3, 5} Keep blood sugar levels near normal by eating a healthful diet, frequently monitoring your blood sugar levels, getting regular physical exercise, and taking insulin or medicines for type 2 diabetes if prescribed. One study found that teens who kept their blood sugar levels near normal reduced their risk for developing diabetic retinopathy and also reduced kidney damage during young adulthood.⁶
• Control your blood pressure. Long-term studies suggest that retinopathy is more likely to progress to the severe form and that macular edema is more likely to occur in people who have high blood pressure. It is not clear whether treating high blood pressure can directly affect long-term vision but, in general, keeping blood pressure levels close to normal can reduce the risk of many different complications of diabetes.⁵ For more information about how to control your blood pressure, see the topic High Blood Pressure (Hypertension).
• Have your eyes examined by an eye specialist (ophthalmologist or optometrist) every year. If you are at low risk for vision problems, your doctor may consider follow-up exams every 2 years. Screening for diabetic retinopathy and other eye problems will not prevent diabetic eye disease, but it can help you avoid vision loss by allowing for early detection and treatment.
• See your eye doctor if you have changes in your vision. Changes in vision—such as floaters, pain or pressure in the eye, blurry or double vision, or new vision loss—may be symptoms of serious damage to your retina. In most cases, the sooner the problem can be treated, the more effective the treatment will be.

The risk of developing severe retinopathy and vision loss may be even less if you:

• Reduce high cholesterol. It is not known whether reducing high cholesterol levels directly affects the progression of retinopathy and vision loss, but some studies suggest that high cholesterol may increase the risk of vision loss in people with diabetes.⁷
• Don't smoke. Although smoking has not been proven to increase the risk of retinopathy, smoking does increase your blood pressure and may aggravate many of the other health problems faced by people with diabetes, including disease of the small blood vessels.
• Avoid hazardous activities. Certain physical activities, like weight lifting or some contact sports, may trigger bleeding in the eye through impact or increased pressure. Avoiding these activities when you have diabetic retinopathy can help reduce the risk of damage to your vision.
• Get adequate exercise. Exercise helps keep blood sugar levels near normal, which can reduce the risk of vision damage from diabetic retinopathy.⁸