The National Diabetes Association reports diabetes as the leading cause of blindness. A person with diabetes who manages and controls his blood sugar has a less likely chance to develop eye complications related to diabetes; however, he is still at a greater risk than a person without diabetes. Yearly retinal and eye dilation exams are recommended for diabetes patients. Symptoms often take several years to develop. A medical professional is often able to diagnose diabetic eye complications before the patient is aware of symptoms related to the condition.
Spots and Blocked Vision
Spots and flashes of light are symptoms associated with diabetic retinopathy. The condition occurs when blood vessels are weakened, due to high glucose levels, and begin to leak blood or develop scar tissue around the retina. Specks or "drops of blood" may appear to be floating in a person's vision.
These specks may disappear for a short while, but will often return as the disease advances. The vision images sent to the brain are distorted and a person experiences blurry or blocked vision. Symptoms often do not appear in the early stages of the disease, and vision problems are not experienced until the retinopathy has progressed, reports the University of Maryland Medical Center. According to the National Institutes of Health, 40 to 45 percent of diabetics suffer from mild to severe retinopathy.
Cloudy Vision
A person with diabetes may experience cloudy or foggy vision associated with the development of glaucoma and cataracts. Though many people without diabetes suffer from glaucoma, there is a higher risk for diabetics. The National Institutes of Health reports a person with diabetes is twice as likely to be diagnosed with glaucoma. Glaucoma occurs when increased pressure in the eye develops, causing optic nerve damage.
People diagnosed with diabetes are 60 percent more likely to suffer from cataracts, reports the American Diabetes Association. The association adds that diabetics are more likely to suffer from the condition at a younger age and the disease often progresses at a much faster rate.
Tunnel Vision
Tunnel vision, or loss of peripheral vision, is an additional symptom of glaucoma and is often seen in late stages of diabetic eye disease. A person cannot see what is on the right or left side of his vision path, yet he retains central vision. A circular or tunnel-like area is all that is visible. The symptom does not apparent immediately, but slowly develops over time.
