Can you have diabetic retinopathy and never develop vision problems?

Yes, but unlikely: Diabetic retinopathy represents the damage to the retina from too high blood sugar in diabetics. Most patients that develop diabetic retinopathy will have enough progression in tie that the vision may be affected (blurred) eventually. If you control your blood sugars excellently, there is the possibility that the progression of diabetic retinopathy is so slow, it never results in declined vision.

Vision loss is late: Adults with diabetic retinopathy most often lose vision from swelling in the retina. If you start to develop poor blood sugar control, elevated blood pressure, or elevated cholesterol the swelling can return causing fluctuating vision. Diabetics can also develop bleeding in their eyes causing vision changes after the damage has started. The swelling usually is severe before vision drops.