There are two important ways in which sight can be affected by diabetic retinopathy. The first is damage to the macula which is the part of the retina with which you read and recognise faces.

This is termed ‘Diabetic Maculopathy’. The second is as a complication of the growth or ‘proliferation’ of new blood vessels. Such ‘Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy’ results in bleeding or haemorrhage into the vitreous jelly within the eye; it can also result in pulling on the retina and a specific type of retinal detachment.