The Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy Among Adults in the United States

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy among adults 40years and older in the United States. METHODS Pooled analysis of data from 8 population-based eye surveys was usedto estimate the prevalence, among persons with diabetes mellitus (DM), ofretinopathy and of vision-threatening retinopathy—defined as proliferativeor severe nonproliferative retinopathy and/or macular edema. Within strataof age, race/ethnicity, and gender, US prevalence rates were estimated bymultiplying these values by the prevalence of DM reported in the 1999 NationalHealth Interview Survey and the 2000 US Census population. RESULTS Among an estimated 10.2 million US adults 40 years and older known tohave DM, the estimated crude prevalence rates for retinopathy and vision-threateningretinopathy were 40.3% and 8.2%, respectively. The estimated US general populationprevalence rates for retinopathy and vision-threatening retinopathy were 3.4%(4.1 million persons) and 0.75% (899 000 persons). Future projectionssuggest that diabetic retinopathy will increase as a public health problem,both with aging of the US population and increasing age-specific prevalenceof DM over time. CONCLUSION Approximately 4.1 million US adults 40 years and older have diabeticretinopathy; 1 of every 12 persons with DM in this age group has advanced,vision-threatening retinopathy.Arch Ophthalmol. 2004;122:552-563-->