Diabetic Retinopathy occurs when the blood vessels that nourish the retina deteriorate. As they deteriorate, portions of the blood vessels may swell and leak fluid into the retinal tissue. This leakage may also cause swelling in the macula known as macular edema.   In background retinopathy, a slight deterioration in the small blood vessels of the retina, portions of the vessels may swell and leak fluid into the surrounding retinal tissue.         Proliferative retinopathy, an advanced form of diabetic retinopathy, occurs when abnormal new blood vessels and scar tissue form on the surface of the retina.         Diabetic macular edema         If this is normal vision...         ...this is the same scene as it might be viewed by a person with diabetic retinopathy.           Images this page, courtesy of: National Eye Institute National Institutes of Health < Disease Information
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