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disease of the retina, the light-sensitive membrane at the back
of the eye, associated with diabetes. After having diabetes for
20 years, nearly all people with Type 1 diabetes and more than
60% of people with Type 2 diabetes develop retinopathy. The
retina translates light entering the eyes into nerve signals
that travel through the optic nerve to the brain. Diabetes can
disrupt the proper functioning of the retina. In the earliest
stages of diabetic retinopathy, the tiny blood vessels of the
retina become more permeable and begin to leak fluid into the
vitreous, the gel that fills the eye. This can cause swelling in
the macula (the central part of the retina responsible for sharp
vision), a potentially sight-threatening condition called
macular edema. As diabetic retinopathy progresses, the blood
vessels are unable to supply the retina with adequate blood, a
condition called ischemia. Starved for oxygen, the retina
responds by growing new blood