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Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetes causes an excessive amount of glucose to remain in the bloodstream, which may damage the blood vessels. Within the eye the damaged vessels may leak blood and fluid into the surrounding tissues and cause vision problems.

Reviewed last on: 5/20/2009
Deborah Wexler, MD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Endocrinologist, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

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