Prevalence of and Factors Associated with Diabetic Retinopathy in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus

at Siriraj Hospital – Thailand’s Largest National Tertiary Referral Center
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is one of the most common chronic complications of diabetes mellitus (DM). DR is characterized by gradually progressive alterations in the retinal microvasculature, leading to areas of retinal non-perfusion, increased vascular permeability, and pathologic intraocular proliferation of retinal vessels. The complications are associated with macular edema, and uncontrolled neovascularization, termed proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR), resulting in severe and permanent vision loss if not treated in a timely and appropriate manner. DR is the leading cause of blindness among working-aged adults worldwide. However, with appropriate medical and ophthalmologic care, more than 90% of vision loss from PDR can be prevented.1 Unfortunately, in many cases, presenting symptoms may go unnoticed or unheeded and the damage caused by the disease becomes irreparable … By 2045, it is estimated that approximately 700 million people worldwide will have diabetes2 and that approximately 103 millions of those will have DR … read more