Diabetic retinopathy - External and Internal Eye
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Synopsis

Patients with diabetic retinopathy are often asymptomatic. As the disease progresses, they may sense vision loss due to macular edema, hemorrhage, or retinal detachment. The risk of diabetic retinopathy increases with the duration of diabetes and the patient's age. Nearly 99% of type 1 diabetics and 60% of type 2 diabetics develop diabetic retinopathy after 20 years of the diagnosis. The condition is more common in individuals of African and Mexican descent compared with those of Northern European descent. Cardiovascular disease risk factors, such as hypertension, are also associated with advanced diabetic retinopathy.
Pediatric Patient Considerations:
Diabetic retinopathy is rarely found in children younger than 10. The risk of retinopathy developing in children with diabetes increases after puberty.
Related topics: diabetes mellitus type 1, diabetes mellitus type 2
Codes
ICD10CM:E10.311 – Type 1 diabetes mellitus with unspecified diabetic retinopathy with macular edema
E10.3299 – Type 1 diabetes mellitus with mild nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy without macular edema, unspecified eye
E11.311 – Type 2 diabetes mellitus with unspecified diabetic retinopathy with macular edema
SNOMEDCT:
4855003 – Diabetic retinopathy
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Differential Diagnosis & Pitfalls
- Retinal vein occlusion
- Ocular ischemic syndrome
- Hemoglobinopathies
- Anemia
- Leukemia
- Radiation retinopathy
- Coat disease
- Idiopathic juxtafoveal telangiectasis
- Sarcoidosis
- Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) retinopathy
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Last Reviewed:03/09/2017
Last Updated:01/15/2020
Last Updated:01/15/2020