Diabetic macular edema is swelling in the central retina that is the most common cause of vision loss for diabetics.
Long-standing increased blood sugar causes damage to blood vessels. The blood vessels will become leaky and cause edema. Diabetic macular edema becomes more common the longer someone has diabetes—regardless of blood sugar control. Patients with diabetic macular edema usually experience progressive blurring of their central vision. Treatment options include retinal laser and eye injections. An eye doctor specializing in retinal disease will be able to evaluate the eye for diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema.