Diabetic Retinopathy Disease Summary

Diabetic retinopathy is a progressive retinal disorder that occurs in almost all patients with chronic diabetes mellitus.
The abnormality causes microaneurysms, retinal hemorrhages, lipid exudates, macular edema and neovascular vessel growth that may lead to blindness.
Regular eye exam for diabetic retinopathy should be done in all patients with diabetes mellitus.
The goals of therapy include improving or stabilizing visual function, preserving vision, reducing the rate of progression and frequency of retinopathy, improving or stabilizing vision-related quality of life, and achieving optimal control of blood glucose, blood pressure and other metabolic risk factors.

For further information regarding the management of Diabetic Retinopathy, please refer to Disease Algorithm for the Treatment Guideline.