What are the different types of diabetic retinopathy?

Bleeding: Diabetes affects the eyes in two ways. It causes leaking, bleeding blood vessels. It also causes blood vessels to die leading to the retina being starved for oxygen. Both of these can cause severe vision loss. Diabetics should be seen every year for a dilated eye exam. Treatment for both types or retinopathy is laser directed at different parts of the eye.

Diabetic retinopathy: An earlier stage of diabetic retinopathy is nonproliferative and is treated w glucose control/observation. A more severe form is proliferative or neovascular, requiring laser. There is also macular edema, requiring laser. Other treatments: avastin (bevacizumab).

See a retina special: Diabetes damages blood vessels in the retina causing bleeding and swelling (diabetic macular edema - dme): nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy. This is the most common kind and the kind that causes the most vision loss (from dme). When new abnormal blood vessels grow along the retina (proliferative), this can cause bleeding (vitreous hemorrhage), traction (retinal detachment), and/or glaucoma.