The medical check-up for potentially serious diabetic retinopathy.

In developed countries diabetic retinopathy is a major cause of visual impairment and the leading cause of blindness in the population aged 20-65 years. Serious retinopathy has a presymptomatic phase which underscores the importance of ophthalmoscopy in screening patients to detect microvascular abnormalities that are early and late predictors of increasing severity. The diagnosis of "high risk characteristics" for visual loss and "clinically significant macular edema" is essential, as photocoagulation treatment has been shown conclusively to reduce the rate of blindness and slow the rate of progression of retinopathy. The complete medical check-up and early referral for diagnostic work-up should lead to less disability.