Diabetic retinopathy risks studied

Article

Severity linked to progression; younger age, macular oedema may also be involved

Interesting new findings have emerged from a study of the risk factors for the development and progression of diabetic retinopathy, namely, that its severity determines the rate of progression, especially in younger patients.

"Diabetic retinopathy is the major cause of visual impairment and blindness worldwide," said Dr Tan, consultant, Department of Ophthalmology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, National Healthcare Group Eye Institute, Singapore.

"One reason for this may be the interrelationships among the various risk factors," he explained.

In light of these discrepancies, Dr Tan and colleagues studied patients with the disease over the course of 5 years as well as the risk factors associated with different facets of the disease: pre-existing diabetic retinopathy, the development and rate of progression of diabetic retinopathy, and development of clinically relevant diabetic macular oedema.

A total of 250 patients (mean age, 66 years) (500 eyes) with type 2 diabetes were included and followed for more than 5 years. Patients with coexisting ocular pathologies or a history of ocular surgeries were excluded. The diabetic retinopathy was graded using the Early Treatment of Diabetic Retinopathy Study classification. The results underwent univariate and multivariate analyses.

Newsletter

Join ophthalmologists across Europe—sign up for exclusive updates and innovations in surgical techniques and clinical care.

Recent Videos
A photo of Seville, Spain, with the Congress on Controversies in Ophthalmology logo superimposed on it. Image credit: ©francovolpato – stock.adobe.com; logo courtesy COPHy
Anat Loewenstein, MD, Professor and Director, Department of Ophthalmology, Tel Aviv Medical Center, discusses the Congress on Controversies in Ophthalmology (COPHy)
(Image credit: Ophthalmology Times Europe) AGS 2025: Clemens Strohmaier, PhD, on improving aqueous humour outflow following excimer laser trabeculostomy
3 experts are featured in this series.
Anat Loewenstein, MD, speaks about the 22nd Annual Angiogenesis, Exudation, and Degeneration Meeting in February 2025 and shares her global forecast for AI-driven home OCT
3 experts are featured in this series.
3 experts are featured in this series.
Sarah M. Thomasy, DVM, PhD, DACVO, a veterinary ophthalmologist at UC Davis, talks about how her research at the Glaucoma 360 symposium
I. Paul Singh, MD, an anterior segment and glaucoma specialist, discusses the Glaucoma 360 conference, where he participated in a panel discussion on the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in glaucoma care.
Sunita Radhakrishnan, MD, an associate at the Glaucoma Center of San Francisco, speaks at the annual Glaucoma 360 meeting about electrical neurostimulation.
Related Content
© 2025 MJH Life Sciences

All rights reserved.