How can controlling blood glucose help slow diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy develops when excess glucose in the blood damages the small blood vessels within the retina. This damage causes the vessels to weaken, leak fluid, and eventually leads to the growth of unstable, abnormal vessels that can cause severe vision loss or blindness.123

Controlling blood glucose levels is a fundamental strategy for slowing or preventing the progression of this condition. By maintaining stable glucose levels, patients can reduce the underlying damage to the retinal microvasculature, thereby delaying the onset of both nonproliferative and proliferative stages of the disease.34

While glucose management is critical, it is also important to address other systemic factors that aggravate vascular complications, such as managing hypertension and lowering serum lipid levels. When retinopathy has already progressed, medical professionals may supplement glucose control with laser photocoagulation or injections of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitors to further protect vision.432