Diabetic retinopathy. Control of systemic factors preserves vision.
Diabetic retinopathy, a retinal microangiopathy, is the leading cause of blindness for persons aged 20 to 65 years in the United States. Routine screening and early treatment are cost-effective and have been shown to help preserve sight. Primary care physicians play a key role in treatment of systemic factors that lead to poor outcomes and referral to an ophthalmologist or a retinal specialist for screening and local treatment. This article, the first of two on retinal vascular disease, provides a review of nonproliferative and proliferative diabetic retinopathy. The second article, which will appear in an upcoming issue of POSTGRADUATE MEDICINE, discusses retinal vascular disease in hypertension.
Colucciello
Michael
M
South Jersey Eye Physicians, Moorestown, New Jersey 08057, USA. michael@macula.us
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001766:Blindness / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000628:therapy; D005194:Family Practice / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D008875:Middle Aged; D012163:Retinal Detachment / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014786:Vision Disorders / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D014822:Vitreous Body / Q000473:pathology*; D014823:Vitreous Hemorrhage / Q000209:etiology