[Diabetic eye disease].

Diabetic retinopathy is the most common cause of blindness among the working population in the industrial world. The individual risk can be significantly reduced by early blood glucose control and treatment of vascular risk factors. Ophthalmologic screening visits in diabetics even without visual symptoms are necessary to ensure early treatment. Once visual function is impairmed, it is often irreversible. Ophthalmologic treatment is indicated when neovascularizations develop, carrying the risk of vitreous hemorrhage and tractive retinal detachment. Panretinal photocoagulation improves the balance of retinal oxygen demand and supply and therefore reduces the neovascular stimulus. In case of diabetic macular edema, focal retinal photocoagulation or intravitreal drug injections can be performed to stabilize capillary permeability in order to preserve vision. In advanced cases, the decision for surgical treatment via pars-plana-vitrectomy has to be evaluated individually.