Diabetic retinopathy

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy is an important public health concern and is one of the most common causes of blindness. The causes of visual loss in diabetic retinopathy include macular oedema, vitreous haemorrhage, tractional retinal detachment and neovascular glaucoma. With appropriate screening and treatment, more than 90% of visual loss resulting from diabetic retinopathy can be prevented. This article reviews the pathophysiology, clinical signs and course of diabetic retinopathy that may help the general practitioner in screening for diabetic patients with a high risk of diabetic retinopathy. Early detection of diabetic retinopathy and referral to an ophthalmologist is the key to prevention of blindness in the management of diabetic mellitus.