Diabetic eye check-ups and retina care in Kolkata
If you have diabetes, your eyes need a dilated check-up once a year even if you see perfectly. Diabetic retinopathy is painless in the early stages, and by the time vision blurs, treatment is harder. A yearly check is the single most useful thing you can do for your sight.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Ananyabrata Das, MBBS, DOUpdated 22 October 2026
What diabetes does to the eye
High blood sugar slowly damages the tiny blood vessels in the retina, the light-sensing layer at the back of the eye. They leak fluid and blood, or close off. In later stages, fragile new vessels grow and can bleed into the eye or pull the retina away.
The macula, the centre of the retina you read with, can swell with leaked fluid (diabetic macular oedema). This is the most common cause of vision loss in diabetes.
How often to be checked
| Situation | Eye check |
|---|---|
| Type 2 diabetes, just diagnosed | At diagnosis, then yearly |
| Type 1 diabetes | From five years after diagnosis, then yearly |
| Any retinopathy found | Every 3–6 months, as advised |
| Pregnant with diabetes | Early in pregnancy and each trimester |
Bring your latest HbA1c, blood pressure and kidney reports. They help decide how closely your eyes need watching.
Treatment
- Control of sugar, blood pressure and cholesterol: the foundation. No eye treatment works well without it.
- Anti-VEGF injections: medicine injected into the eye under numbing drops, usually monthly at first, to reduce macular swelling and abnormal vessels.
- Laser photocoagulation: seals leaking vessels or treats areas of retina starved of blood, reducing the risk of bleeding.
- Vitrectomy: surgery for bleeding that won't clear or retina that is being pulled. Arranged with a vitreoretinal surgeon when needed.
Other retina problems
Age-related macular degeneration (AMD): blurred or distorted central vision in older people. Straight lines look wavy. The "wet" form is treated with injections and needs prompt attention.
Retinal vein occlusion: a blocked vein, often linked to high blood pressure. Sudden blurring in one eye.
Questions
I see well. Do I still need a diabetic eye check?
Yes. Retinopathy can be quite advanced before it affects vision. The check finds it early, when treatment is simpler and more effective.
Are the eye injections painful?
The eye is numbed with drops first. Most people feel brief pressure. Some grittiness for a day afterwards is common.
Can diabetic retinopathy be reversed?
Early changes can improve with good sugar and BP control. Macular swelling often improves with injections. Long-standing damage usually can't be reversed, but further loss can be prevented.