Diabetic retinopathy

Sight-threatening signs of diabetic retinopathy include macular edema, retinal or optic disk new vessels, and vitreous hemorrhage.

Main measures to prevent visual loss include improvement in glycemic, lipid, and hypertensive control, and the early identification of sight-threatening disease.

Main therapies are intravitreal injection of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) agents, panretinal laser photocoagulation, and vitrectomy surgery. Intravitreal corticosteroid and macular laser therapy may be considered for patients refractory to anti-VEGF agents.

Diabetic retinopathy is the chronic progressive retinal manifestation of hyperglycemic vascular damage and neurodegenerative change. It increases in prevalence with duration of diabetes. There are two stages: nonproliferative and proliferative. Nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) is the early stage of the disease and may cause moderate visual loss. Proliferative retinopathy is a later stage of the disease and may cause severe visual loss.