Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy (also known as diabetic eye disease), is a medical condition in which damage occurs to the retina due to diabetes. It is a leading cause of blindness in developed countries.
Diabetic retinopathy
Diabetic eye disease
- ˌrɛtɪnˈɑpəθi[1]
Often asymptomatic, but can cause spots in the eye and vision loss.
Vitreous hemorrhage, Retinal detachment, Glaucoma, Blindness
Lifelong
Long-term poor control of diabetes mellitus
Diabetes, poor control of blood sugar, smoking, inflammation
Nearly all patients with type 1 diabetes and >60% of patients with type 2 diabetes[3]
Diabetic retinopathy affects up to 80 percent of those who have had both type 1 and type 2 diabetes for 20 years or more. In at least 90% of new cases, progression to more aggressive forms of sight threatening retinopathy and maculopathy could be reduced with proper treatment and monitoring of the eyes. The longer a person has diabetes, the higher his or her chances of developing diabetic retinopathy. Each year in the United States, diabetic retinopathy accounts for 12% of all new cases of blindness. It is also the leading cause of blindness in people aged 20 to 64.
Epidemiology[edit]
Around 35% of people with diabetes have some kind of diabetic retinopathy; around 10% experience some degree of vision loss.[54] Diabetic retinopathy is particularly common in those with type 1 diabetes – affecting 25% of people five years from diagnosis, 60% 10 years from diagnosis, and 80% 15 years from diagnosis.[55] Chances of disease progression are heavily influenced by blood sugar control, but on average 7% of those with diabetes experiencing proliferative diabetic retinopathy and 7% diabetic macular edema.[54] Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of vision loss in those 20–74 years old.[54]
The global burden of diabetic retinopathy increased dramatically from 1990 to 2015—from 1.4 million to 2.6 million people with visual impairment; from 0.2 million to 0.4 million blinded—due in large part to the increasing burden of type 2 diabetes in low- and middle-income countries.[54]