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Diabetic Retinopathy

Also known as: DR · diabetic eye disease

Microvascular damage to the retina from chronic diabetes — the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults. Often asymptomatic until advanced; graded from non-proliferative to sight-threatening proliferative disease and diabetic macular oedema.

Source · Reviewed 2026-08-15 · v1.0— AI-assisted draft — verify against the cited guideline before clinical use.

⚕️ Education only — not medical advice. Verify against the latest official guideline and your local protocol; confirm every drug dose against the cited source before clinical use.

Who gets it

People with type 1 or type 2 diabetes; risk with duration, poor glycaemic/blood-pressure control, nephropathy and pregnancy.

Red flags — escalate / refer

Sudden vision loss (vitreous haemorrhage, retinal detachment), or new vessels/maculopathy on screening → urgent ophthalmology.

Work-up / diagnosis

1Regular retinal SCREENING (fundus examination/photography) for everyone with diabetes.
2Grade the retinopathy and detect macular oedema (OCT) — it is usually asymptomatic early, so screening finds it.

Management — overview

Optimise the systemics — tight glycaemic, blood-pressure and lipid control, and treat nephropathy (these slow progression).
Refer sight-threatening disease for laser photocoagulation (proliferative DR), intravitreal anti-VEGF (macular oedema/proliferative), and vitrectomy for complications.
Ensure ongoing screening.

In-depthFull dosing & advanced protocol

Drug dosing

Systemic control (glucose/BP/lipids)

Slow progression (no oral drug treats DR directly)

Adult dose: Per diabetes/hypertension protocols
Route: Oral / SC

ICMRStandard Treatment Workflows (STWs), India — Dept. of Health Research & ICMR (2022+) ↗

Laser / intravitreal anti-VEGF

Sight-threatening retinopathy/macular oedema

Adult dose: By ophthalmology
Route: Ophthalmic procedure

WHOWHO Model List of Essential Medicines (electronic EML) (2025 (24th)) ↗

Screening and control are everything

It is asymptomatic until late — regular screening is the key to preventing blindness.
Good glycaemic and blood-pressure control is the main preventive measure.
Anti-VEGF and laser treat sight-threatening disease; pregnancy can accelerate it.

ICMRStandard Treatment Workflows (STWs), India — Dept. of Health Research & ICMR (2022+) ↗

References

Guidelines change. If something here is out of date, tell us — we keep these current.

🚩 Report outdated / suggest update

More protocols

Acute Red EyeA common presentation ranging from benign conjunctivitis to sight-threatening emergencies. The key skill is spotting the dangerous red eye.Acute Angle-Closure GlaucomaA sudden rise in intraocular pressure from blockage of aqueous drainage — a painful red eye with blurred vision, haloes around lights, headache and nausea/vomiting, with a fixed mid-dilated pupil. A sight-threatening emergency.CataractClouding of the lens causing gradual, painless blurring of vision, glare and faded colours — the leading cause of reversible blindness worldwide, and cured by surgery.

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👤 Who gets it

🚩 Red flags — escalate / refer

🔎 Work-up / diagnosis

🧭 Management — overview

💊 Drug dosing

Systemic control (glucose/BP/lipids)

Laser / intravitreal anti-VEGF

📈 Screening and control are everything

📚 References

More protocols

👤 Who gets it

🚩 Red flags — escalate / refer

🔎 Work-up / diagnosis

🧭 Management — overview

💊 Drug dosing

Systemic control (glucose/BP/lipids)

Laser / intravitreal anti-VEGF

📈 Screening and control are everything

📚 References

More protocols

Who gets it

Red flags — escalate / refer

Work-up / diagnosis

Management — overview

Drug dosing

Screening and control are everything

References

Who gets it

Red flags — escalate / refer

Work-up / diagnosis

Management — overview

Drug dosing

Screening and control are everything

References