Diabetic retinopathy: clinical findings and management.

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic abnormality in which there is a failure to utilise glucose and hence a state of hyperglycaemia can occur. If hyperglycaemia continues uncontrolled over time, it will lead to significant and widespread pathological changes, including involvement of the retina, brain and kidney.In industrialised countries, approximately 1% of the population is diabetic, and at least another 1% are undiagnosed diabetics. Insulin dependent diabetes (IDDM), accounts for approximately 10-15% of cases, the remainder being maturity onset or non-insulin dependent diabetics (NIDDM). Diabetes mellitus is an international public health problem with estimated prevalences ranging from 2.0% to 11.7% in studied populations across the world.