Diabetic Retinopathy: Focus on Minority Populations

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy is a major cause of blindness in the United States. With rise of the epidemic of obesity and diabetes in the USA and around the globe, serious and common diabetic complications areevolving as a major public health problem, particularly among minority populations. These populationsare disproportionately affected by diabetes and 2-3 times more likely to develop visually signifi cantcomplications. In this highly illustrated review article, we discuss the diabetic epidemic, highlightingthe biology and the pathophysiologic mechanisms of this disorder on the anatomy of the eye. We alsodiscuss the risk factors and the implications for minority populations. For the health care providers, weprovide cutting edge information and imminently relevant information to help evaluate, manage, and knowwhen to refer their patients to a specialist in ophthalmology to quell the tide of the epidemic.Pubmed link: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29756128 </p