Diabetic retinopathy in children and adolescents

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy rarely occurs before puberty and is never proliferative in prepubescent children. On the opposite, puberty and adolescence are high-risk periods for diabetic retinopathy progression, and call for strict ophthalmologic monitoring. The period between 16 and 18 years of age is particularly critical. Progression towards florid diabetic retinopathy is to be especially feared and should be prevented in the course of adolescence, as this form can be severe and can lead to blindness. Risk factors are probably many, including diabetes duration, difficulties in achieving glycemic control due to increase in insulin requirements, low compliance to treatment, and hormonal changes related to puberty (abnormalities of the growth hormone (GH)/insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-1) axis). Systematical diabetic retinopathy screening should be performed in adolescents, notably by non-mydriatic fundus photographs. Furthermore, the anticipation of the switch from pediatric to adult structures, together with the careful information and education of parents and children may improve visual prognosis of young diabetic patients, whose life expectancy is high.