Diabetic retinopathy is a significant cause of
blindness, and occurs as a result of long-
term accumulated damage to the small
blood vessels in the retina. After 15 years
of diabetes about 10% of patients develop
severe visual impairment.
• Diabetic neuropathy is damage to the
nerves as a result of diabetes, and affects
up to 50% of people with diabetes.
Common symptoms are tingling, pain,
numbness, or weakness in the feet and
hands.
• Combined with reduced blood flow, neuro-
pathy in the feet increases the chance of
foot ulcers and eventual limb amputation.
• Diabetes is among the leading causes of
kidney failure; 10-20% of people with
diabetes die of kidney failure.
• Diabetes increases the risk of heart disease
and stroke; 50% of people with diabetes
die of cardiovascular disease (primarily
heart disease and stroke).