Although diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of blindness among working adults in the world, there are few precise estimates of the worldwide prevalence of the condition. Yau and colleagues performed a pooled analysis using individual participant data from population-based studies in the USA, Australia, Europe and Asia that had ascertained diabetic retinopathy from retinal photographs.
Analysis of 35 studies with 22 896 individuals with diabetes showed the overall prevalence was 34.6% (95% confidence interval [CI] 34.5−34.8) for any diabetic retinopathy, 6.96% (6.87−7.04) for proliferative diabetic retinopathy, 6.81% (6.74−6.89) for diabetic macular oedema, and 10.2% (10.1−10.3) for vision threatening diabetic retinopathy. Prevalence rates were higher in people with type 1 diabetes and increased with duration of diabetes, and values for HbA1c, blood pressure, and cholesterol When these prevalence rates were extrapolated to the 2010 world diabetes population, it was estimated that 92.6 million adults had any diabetic retinopathy, 17.2 million had proliferative diabetic retinopathy, 20.6 million had diabetic macular oedema, and 28.4 million had vision threatening diabetic retinopathy.
The authors concluded that diabetic retinopathy has the potential to be the leading cause of visual impairment and blindness worldwide, highlighting the substantial public health effect of diabetes, and the need for effective screening and management of risk factors associated with the condition.
Reference
Yau JW et al (2012) Global prevalence and major risk factors of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes Care Feb 1. [Epub ahead of print]
