My personal experience says emphatically YES. A rapid drop in BG levels (A1c) Made ALL of my issues worse, at least temporarily. I was at 12.3 in Oct and went to 5.6 by Feb. In retrospect it was like going through withdrawal. The other thing about this is something my retinologist explained to me. (BTW, if you have retinopathy abd are not seeing a retinologist, you are severely short changing yourself.) He explained it like this. Imagine Hoover Dam. You are pounding it day after day with a huge wrecking ball. After a prolonged attack you suddenly quit swinging the wrecking ball. The fact that you stopped does not repair the damage done, and, most likely the small cracks will continue to grow even though the pounding has ceased.
Then starts the damage control. In the last five years I have had more laser treatments than I can count, several Avastin injections in both eyes, three vitrectomies and cataracts removed from both eyes (caused by all the injections.). In the last nine months I have had a long lasting (2-3 months) steroid injection in both eyes twice. Then just yesterday, I had an injection of a newly approved treatment that lasts for 3 years. (sorry, I do not remember the name of the last two meds) I am still legally blind (20/250) but in some ways I see quite well. Given where thing started I am very greatful and happy with the outcome.
Foe me, it took about 9 months to begin to see a noticeable improvement of my physical problems other than my vision. My eyesight took almost three years to see anything like a real improvement, then came the cataracts. They were the worst. After they were removed though, I was surprised how well I could actually see.
It takes a lot of time, treatment, control and patience. My retinologist Has told me many times that my ability to keep my BG in control is one of the greatest contributors to the success of my treatment.