Diabetic retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy
Other names	Diabetic eye disease
Fundus image, showing several common signs of diabetic retinopathy
Pronunciation	ˌrɛtɪnˈɑpəθi[1]
Specialty	Ophthalmology, optometry
Symptoms	Often asymptomatic, but can cause spots in the eye and vision loss.
Complications	Vitreous hemorrhage, Retinal detachment, Glaucoma, Blindness
Duration	Lifelong
Causes	Long-term poor control of diabetes mellitus
Risk factors	Diabetes, poor control of blood sugar, smoking, inflammation
Diagnostic method	Eye examination[2]
Treatment	Laser coagulation, Vitrectomy[2]
Medication	Anti-VEGF Injection[2]
Frequency	Nearly all patients with type 1 diabetes and >60% of patients with type 2 diabetes[3]

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 and one of the lead causes of sight loss in the world, even though there are many new therapies and improved treatments for helping people live with diabetes.^[4]

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.