Guideline-recommended diabetes care significantly reduces long-term vision loss

Researchers retrospectively analyzed data from 5,989 Medicare beneficiaries diagnosed with diabetes mellitus but with no prior diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Patients who adhered to recommended levels of diabetes care were significantly less likely to develop low vision or blindness over a three-year period than similar patients who did not receive such care. While those who received recommended care were more likely to be diagnosed with background DR, they were no more likely to develop proliferative DR, macular edema or proliferative DR complications than the others.