Blindness, visual impairment caused by diabetic retinopathy increases globally

ORLANDO, Fla. – Results from an evaluation of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010 as well as literature searches through January 2012 indicate that the number of people blind or visually impaired due to diabetic retinopathy increased by 27% and 64%, respectively, from 1990 to 2010.

Janet L. Leasher, OD, MPH, FAAO, of the Nova Southeastern University College of Optometry, reported in a poster here at the Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology that diabetic retinopathy caused 2.6% of all blindness and 1.9% of all moderate and severe vision impairment worldwide.

“We know we have an epidemic on our hands that is just about to explode,” Leasher told Primary Care Optometry News. “We need to address this prevalence of vision impairment coming down the pike.

Leasher and colleagues evaluated data from 65 countries.

“Prevalence hasn’t changed much in countries,” she said, “but the numbers of people have increased with an increasing population.”

The poster stated that incidence was lower in regions with younger populations (<2% in East and Southeast Asia and Oceania) than in high-income regions with older populations (>4%).

“In some lesser developed countries, people die before they get vision impairment,” Leasher said. “In populations where people live longer, incidence is increasing.”

According to the poster, one out of every 39 blind people and one out of every 52 people with visual impairment has diabetic retinopathy. –Nancy Hemphill, ELS

Disclosures: Leasher and her co-authors have no financial disclosures.