Etymed
diabetic retinopathy
Definition
A disease affecting the retina caused by diabetes, characterized by damage to retinal blood vessels
Clinical context
A 58-year-old man with type 2 diabetes presents for his annual eye exam. He denies any visual symptoms but was told during his last visit that he had some changes in his retina. On fundoscopic examination, microaneurysms and dot-blot hemorrhages are noted in the posterior pole. This finding is consistent with diabetic retinopathy, the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults with diabetes.
Mnemonic
DIABETIC RETINOPATHY - D for Damage to blood vessels, I for Increased risk with duration, A for Abnormal capillaries, B for Blurred vision, E for Eye exam needed, T for Tight glucose control, I for Ischemia, C - Complications, R for Retinal edema, E for Exudates, T for Thrombosis, I for Ischemia, N - Neovascularization, O - Ophthalmoscopy, P - Proliferation, A - Abnormal vessels, T - Traction, H - Hemorrhage, Y - Yellow spots