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The second way diabetes can cause vision loss is through the proliferation (growth) of new vessels. Laser therapy is used to decrease the body's tendency to grow new vessels in the eye. This helps reduce the chance of vision loss from bleeding, retinal detachment and glaucoma. It is accomplished in the office with the use of topical or regional anesthesia. Some experience a minor ache around the eye which can be treated easily with over the counter pain medications. Patients are asked to return in 4 to 6 weeks to evaluate the response to the laser therapy.