Retina in the eye is that area of the eye where light changes into electrical impulses which are then sent to the brain.

Diabetes can damage blood vessels throughout our bodies. The vessels in the eyes seem especially vulnerable to damage. In the early stages of retinopathy, fluid can leak from small blood vessels in the retina. If this leaking occurs in the macula, then objects may appear blurry. (The macula is the center of the retina which controls our sharp reading vision.)

Proliferative retinopathy is an advanced form of retinopathy. Proliferative retinopathy occurs when abnormal blood vessels grow on the retina and sometimes into other parts of the eye. If these vessels bleed into the vitreous - the clear fluid in the center of the eye, light can't reach the retina and vision can become cloudy. The blood may be slowly reabsorbed and vision can return to normal but if the bleeding continues, vision may be cloudy until the problem is treated.

Tissue can also grow along with the abnormal blood vessels, distorting vision or making objects appear blurry. Over time, the tissue can shrink, pulling the retina away from its base.

If the blood doesn't reabsorb or if the tissue affects your vision, the vitreous may need to be surgically removed to avoid loss of vision.All these problems of the eyes can be prevented if prevention is started early.