Living with diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a diabetic eye disease. It occurs when high blood glucose levels damage the blood vessels behind the retina at the back of the eye. Although it can lead to sight loss in advanced stages, regular eye screening can detect the condition early. For most people, having regular eye exams and managing your diabetes will make a big difference, and you may not need treatment or experience vision loss.

You can find more information about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of diabetic retinopathy on the NHS website.

Living independently with diabetic retinopathy

Terry shares his experience of living with diabetic retinopathy.

If you have sight loss due to diabetic retinopathy, there are some actions you can take to help you stay independent at home:

• Use our guide to make the most of the vision you do have. Strategies vary depending on whether your side vision, central vision, or both, are affected.
• Aids such as anti-glare glasses or coloured lenses could help with bright lighting, or tools such as magnifiers can help you better see details.
• Find which lighting works for you.
• Learn new skills and ways to manage day-to-day life at home.
• Approach your local authority to learn how to use a long cane safely and independently. You may also receive an assessment from a physiotherapist to determine your correct cane size.
• Use a symbol cane to let others know you have a vision impairment.

At Guide Dogs, we have a wide range of services, both with and without guide dogs, and a team of experts who can work with you to understand your needs and agree on a plan that’s right for you.

The ways we could help you:

• Habilitation or rehabilitation of important life skills
• Our guide dog service
• Our Vision Rehabilitation Specialists can make recommendations best suited to you and your needs
• Tips and advice to help you make the most of your remaining vision
• Resources and support on how technology can improve your independence

If diabetic retinopathy affects your sight so much that you are eligible to register as vision impaired, and it affects daily life, you may be eligible for support such as Personal Independence Payment.

Please note: Whilst Guide Dogs may be able to suggest various third-party websites which may be able to assist you, those are not endorsed by Guide Dogs. Guide Dogs have no control over those third parties and cannot be held responsible for the accuracy of information and support they can provide or the suitability and quality of any products or services they provide.