Projection of Diabetic Retinopathy and Other Major Eye Diseases Among People With Diabetes Mellitus

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common and serious condition. It is the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults in the United States.¹In 2004, blindness from DR accounted for approximately $500 million in direct medical costs among Americans 40 years or older.²However, interventions to detect and treat DR to prevent vision loss are cost-effective and may result in cost savings.^3,4People with diabetes mellitus also have a higher prevalence of other eye diseases, such as cataracts and glaucoma, than the general population.^5-10Vision loss related to eye disease among people with diabetes is an important disability that threatens independence and can lead to depression, reduced mobility, and reduced quality of life.¹¹The Eye Diseases Prevalence Research Group (EDPRG) classified DR into 2 major composite outcomes: (1) any DR as any DR consisting of mild, moderate, or severe DR, diabetic macular edema, or any combination and (2) vision-threatening DR (VTDR) as DR likely to result in vision loss in the absence of treatment, consisting of proliferative DR, diabetic macular edema, or both. Among people 40 years and older with known diabetes in the year 2000, an estimated 4.1 million persons had DR and approximately 0.9 million had signs of VTDR.¹²