FACT: Diabetic Retinopathy on the Rise

Diabetic Retinopathy on the Rise: After two decades on the rise, retinopathy now affects more than a third of all diabetes patients, according to the latest nationally representative estimate.

Jinan Saaddine, M.D., M.P.H., of the CDC, found that the prevalence of the condition appeared to increase across racial and ethnic groups between the 1988-1994 and 2005-2006 iterations of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, Non-Hispanic blacks had the highest prevalence of diabetic retinopathy, and the greatest increase. “It could be that we’re not doing a good job controlling people with diabetes,” Dr. Saaddine said, emphasizing the need for good glycemic and blood pressure management alongside diabetes prevention efforts. “All the studies have shown that control of these two risk factors will delay the progression of diabetic retinopathy and the vision loss related to it,” she noted.

American Diabetes Association: Saaddine JB, et al “Prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in the United States: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2005-2006” ADA 2009; Abstract OR 382.