OBJECTIVETo examine the global prevalence and major risk factors for diabetic retinopathy (DR) and vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy (VTDR) among people with diabetes.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSA pooled analysis using individual participant data from population-based studies around the world was performed. A systematic literature review was conducted to identify all population-based studies in general populations or individuals with diabetes who had ascertained DR from retinal photographs. Studies provided data for DR end points, including any DR, proliferative DR, diabetic macular edema, and VTDR, and also major systemic risk factors. Pooled prevalence estimates were directly age-standardized to the 2010 World Diabetes Population aged 20–79 years.RESULTSA total of 35 studies (1980–2008) provided data from 22,896 individuals with diabetes. The overall prevalence was 34.6% (95% CI 34.5–34.8) for any DR, 6.96% (6.87–7.04) for proliferative DR, 6.81% (6.74–6.89) for diabetic macular edema, and 10.2% (10.1–10.3) for VTDR. All DR prevalence end points increased with diabetes duration, hemoglobin A1c, and blood pressure levels and were higher in people with type 1 compared with type 2 diabetes.CONCLUSIONSThere are approximately 93 million people with DR, 17 million with proliferative DR, 21 million with diabetic macular edema, and 28 million with VTDR worldwide. Longer diabetes duration and poorer glycemic and blood pressure control are strongly associated with DR. These data highlight the substantial worldwide public health burden of DR and the importance of modifiable risk factors in its occurrence. This study is limited by data pooled from studies at different time points, with different methodologies and population characteristics.

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Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a global epidemic and affects populations in both developing and developed countries, with differing health care and resource levels. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a major complication of DM and a leading cause of vision loss in working middle-aged adults. Vision loss from DR can be prevented with broad-level public health strategies, but these need to be tailored to a country's and population's resource setting. Designing DR screening programs, with appropriate and timely referral to facilities with trained eye care professionals, and using cost-effective treatment for vision-threatening levels of DR can prevent vision loss. The International Council of Ophthalmology Guidelines for Diabetic Eye Care 2017 summarize and offer a comprehensive guide for DR screening, referral and follow-up schedules for DR, and appropriate management of vision-threatening DR, including diabetic macular edema (DME) and proliferative DR, for countries with high- and low- or intermediate-resource settings. The guidelines include updated evidence on screening and referral criteria, the minimum requirements for a screening vision and retinal examination, follow-up care, and management of DR and DME, including laser photocoagulation and appropriate use of intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors and, in specific situations, intravitreal corticosteroids. Recommendations for management of DR in patients during pregnancy and with concomitant cataract also are included. The guidelines offer suggestions for monitoring outcomes and indicators of success at a population level.

The choroid under the fovea was thicker in eyes with PCV than those with typical AMD. This result suggests that the choroidal vascular lesion seen in PCV may not be just the choroidal neovascularization accompanied by saccular capillary dilations at the border, but may have a significant structural difference in the choroid compared to typical AMD.

Purpose To describe the prevalence of and risk factors for epiretinal membrane (ERM) in a multi-ethnic population and to evaluate possible racial/ethnic differences. Design Cross-sectional study. Participants Participants of the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA), examined at the second visit of the MESA when retinal photography was performed. Methods Data on 5960 participants aged 45 to 84 years from MESA, including white, blacks, Hispanic and Chinese from six United States communities, were analysed. ERM was assessed from digital non-stereoscopic fundus photographs and defined as cellophane macular reflex (CMR) without retinal folds or pre-retinal macular fibrosis (PMF) with retinal folds. Risk factors were assessed from standardized interviews, clinical examinations, and laboratory investigations. Main outcome measures ERM prevalence by ethnic/racial group, and risk factors associated with ERM. Results The prevalence of any ERM was 28.9%, of which 25.1% were CMR and 3.8% were PMF. The prevalence of ERM was significantly higher in Chinese (39.0%), compared to Hispanics (29.3%), whites (27.5%), and blacks (26.2%), p<0.001. In multivariable models, increasing age (odds ratio [OR] 1.19, 95% confidence intervals [CI], 1.06, 1.34, per year increase in age), diabetes (OR 1.92, 95% CI, 1.39, 2.65) and hypercholesterolemia (OR 1.33, 95% CI, 1.04, 1.69) were significantly associated with CMR. Conclusions This study showed that ERM was significantly more common in Chinese persons compared to whites, blacks and Hispanics. Risk factors for epiretinal membrane were increasing age, presence of diabetes and hypercholesterolemia.

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Objective Microvascular dysfunction has been suggested to be a major pathogenic factor for the development of hypertension. We examined the association between retinal vascular caliber, a marker of systemic microvascular dysfunction, and incident hypertension on a meta-analysis of individual participant data. Methods We performed a systematic review with relevant studies identified through a search of electronic databases, a review of reference lists, and correspondence with experts. Studies were included if participants were selected from a general population, retinal vascular caliber was measured from photographs using computer-assisted methods at baseline, and individuals were followed up to ascertain the incidence of hypertension. Prespecified individual recorded data from six population-based prospective cohort studies were included. Discrete time proportional odds models were constructed for each study with adjustment for hypertension risk factors. Log odds ratios (ORs) per 20-μm difference were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis. Results Among 10 229 participants without prevalent hypertension, diabetes, or cardiovascular disease, 2599 developed new-onset hypertension during median follow-up periods ranging from 2.9 to 10 years. Both narrower retinal arterioles [pooled multivariate-adjusted OR per 20-μm difference 1.29, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.20–1.39] and wider venules (OR per 20-μm difference 1.14, 95% CI 1.06–1.23) were associated with an increased risk of hypertension. Each 20 μm narrower arterioles at baseline were associated with a 1.12 mmHg (95% CI 0.25–1.99) greater increase in SBP over 5 years. Conclusions Retinal arteriolar narrowing and venular widening were independently associated with an increased risk of hypertension. These findings underscore the importance of microvascular remodeling in the pathogenesis of hypertension.