What is the potential long term problems of type 2 diabetes?

Type II diabetes, also know as adult-onset diabetes,
affects the entire body. Because diabetes causes excess glucose in body fluids, the
osmotic balance of cells is disturbed, resulting in a wide variety of side
effects.

Blindness can occur with type II diabetes as a
result of cataracts, glaucoma, or macular degeneration. Diabetic nephropathy, or kidney
disease, is a common problem for type II diabetics, and can become life-threatening.
Hypertension, or high blood pressure, can result from type II diabetes, and can create
stress on the heart, resulting in chronic heart
disease.

Diabetic neuropathies are a significant problem;
the osmotic imbalances in the body create swelling, which can impede blood and  oxygen
flow to tissues and result in nerve damage. This makes the diabetic unaware of everyday
discomforts such as blisters and other small injuries, which  go unnoticed and
untreated. The poor circulation and excess glucose in the tissues make bacterial
infection much more likely than normal, and the same issues make healing slow and
difficult. Diabetics are therefore at very high risk for major infections and
amputations, particularly in the leg and foot area.