Diabetes is becoming increasingly common in industrialized and even developing countries. A serious and irreversible complication of diabetes–diabetic retinopathy (DR)–could impact as many as 191 million people around the globe by 2030. Despite the fact that DR is a leading cause of vision loss around the world, as many as 50% of people with diabetes are not getting regular eye exams, or are diagnosed too late for treatment to be effective.

The Alliance for Aging Research released The Silver Book®: Diabetic Retinopathy, a factsheet that gives an overview of the threat the eye disease presents to global health. It is the latest addition to the Silver Book®: Chronic Disease and Medical Innovation in an Aging Nation series.