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Spotlight on diabetic retinopathy


Epidemiology

Global estimates on the number of people blind or visually impaired by diabetic retinopathy: A meta-analysis from 1990 to 2010

This meta-analysis of published population studies from 1990 to 2012 aimed to estimate global and regional trends of the prevalence and number of persons visually impaired by diabetic retinopathy.

Summary points
  • This meta-analysis of published population studies from 1990 to 2012 for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 yielded estimated global regional trends in diabetic retinopathy (DR).
  • Globally in 2010, out of overall 32.4 million blind and 191 million visually impaired people, 0.8 million were blind and 3.7 million were visually impaired because of DR.
  • DR accounted for 2.6% of all blindness in 2010 and 1.9% of all moderate and severe vision impairment worldwide, increasing from 2.1% and 1.3%, respectively, in 1990.
  • The number of persons with visual impairment due to DR worldwide is rising and represents an increasing proportion of all blindness/visual impairment causes.

Leasher JL et al. Diabetes Care 2016;39:1643-1649. doi:10.2337/dc15-2171

Epidemiology of diabetic retinopathy, diabetic macular edema, and related vision loss

A review of the major trends in the prevalence, incidence, progression and regression of diabetic retinopathy and macular edema as well as the established and novel risk factors for both conditions.

Summary points
  • Of an estimated 285 million people with diabetes mellitus worldwide, approximately one-third have signs of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and of these, a further one-third have vision-threatening DR, including diabetic macular edema (DME).
  • DR is the leading cause of vision loss in adults aged 20–74 years and fifth most common cause of preventable blindness and moderate-to-severe visual impairment.
  • In general, patients with type 2 diabetes in Western communities have a higher prevalence of DR than their counterparts.
  • According to population-based studies, prevalence of DME among patients with type 1 diabetes is between 4.2 and 7.9 % and in patients with type 2 diabetes, it is between 1.4 and 12.8 %.
  • There is no observable difference between prevalence of DME between Western or Eastern populations but the epidemiology of DME is much less well studied than DR and more research is needed.
  • Hyperglycemia is the most important modifiable risk factor for DR, and intensive glycemic control has been proven to have potent and long-lasting protective effects against development and progression of DR and DME.

Lee R et al. Eye and Vis 2015;2:17. doi:10.1186/s40662-015-0026-2

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