Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy in the United States, 2005-2008

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of new cases of legal blindness among adults aged 20 to 74 years in the United States.¹ Vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy occurs through a variety of mechanisms, including retinal detachment, preretinal or vitreous hemorrhage, associated neovascular glaucoma, and macular edema or capillary nonperfusion.² The presence of diabetic retinopathy may indicate microcirculatory dysfunction in other organ systems.^3,4 Diabetes-related blindness is a personal catastrophe to the individual and costs the United States approximately $500 million annually.⁵ However, risk of vision loss due to diabetic retinopathy can be reduced by effective control of serum glucose and blood pressure and by its early detection and timely treatment.^6-8 The efficacy and cost-effectiveness of early detection and treatment of diabetic retinopathy is well established.^9,10