Diabetic Retinopathy: Clinical, Genetic, And Health Economics (An Asian Perspective)

Diabetes mellitus is the fastest growing disease in the world that is estimated to reach nearly half a billion in 2045, and a third of them would have microvascular complication like diabetic retinopathy (DR). Hyperglycemia, hypertension, and dyslipidemia are some of the controllable risk factors. DR is classified into nonproliferative, proliferative, and macular edema types. Many molecular factors like VEGF, ALR2, eNOS, MTHFR, ACE, IGF, and RAGE and its associated single nucleotide polymorphisms play a critical role in the process of neovascularization. Some of the drug discovery and newer treatment regimens are based on these molecular factors. More research by the clinicians, epidemiologists, and vision scientists is necessary to reduce the visual morbidity and disease burden of DR in the community.