Diabetic Retinopathy Simulator

Diabetic Retinopathy 20/100 6/30

This simulator portrays some of the low vision complications of advanced diabetic eye disease (diabetic retinopathy). These include floaters (dark spots), hemorrhages (red area) and multiple areas of variable vision loss that might be due to ischemia (reduced blood supply) and/or laser scars.

Did you know...?

• Fluctuations in blood sugar levels may cause a change in vision. This can mean that one's ability to do certain vision-dependent tasks can vary between morning and evening or from day-to-day.
• The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in people with diabetes is high. It is estimated that 40.8 percent of adults aged 40 and older with diabetes have diabetic retinopathy and that 8.2 percent have advanced, vision-threatening retinopathy. More than 4 million Americans (3.4 percent) aged 40 and older have some form of diabetic retinopathy and this number is projected to reach 6.1 million by the year 2020.  No gender differences have been reported in any racial/ethnic groups for diabetic eye disease.
• Timely diagnosis and proper treatment offer the prospect of virtual elimination of the 5-year risk of severe vision loss