review · Eye
A global meta-regression analysis of population-based studies evaluated trends in vision loss caused by diabetic retinopathy between 2000 and 2020. By 2020, an estimated 1.07 million people worldwide were blind due to the condition, while an additional 3.28 million lived with moderate or severe vision impairment. The burden varied geographically. Latin America and the Caribbean experienced the highest proportion of diabetic retinopathy blindness, whereas North Africa and the Middle East recorded the largest share of moderate or severe vision impairment. Across the two decades, increases in vision loss from the disease were more pronounced among women than men, especially in South Asia for blindness and across Asia-Pacific regions for moderate to severe impairment. These figures indicate that diabetic retinopathy remains a major public health concern requiring region-specific policies and targeted, gender-sensitive interventions.
Diabetic retinopathy is a major preventable cause of vision loss linked to growing global rates of diabetes and longer life expectancy. Understanding its distribution across regions and between sexes helps public health authorities and funders target resources effectively. The findings highlight the urgency of addressing healthcare disparities to prevent avoidable blindness, particularly in disproportionately affected areas and among vulnerable female populations.
The abstract does not indicate an application pathway or a direct commercial technology. Instead, it provides epidemiological data that healthcare policymakers, public health planners, and global health funders can use to guide investments in eye-care infrastructure and screening programmes. Any commercialisation or clinical deployment of screening tools, diagnostics, or treatments based on these findings remains indirect and outside the scope of the reported analysis.
AI-generated from the published abstract. Always read the original work before citing.
OBJECTIVES: To estimate global and regional trends from 2000 to 2020 of the number of persons visually impaired by diabetic retinopathy and their proportion of the total number of vision-impaired individuals. METHODS: Data from population-based studies on eye diseases between 1980 to 2018 were compiled. Meta-regression models were performed to estimate the prevalence of blindness (presenting visual acuity <3/60) and moderate or severe vision impairment (MSVI; <6/18 to ≥3/60) attributed to DR. The estimates, with 95% uncertainty intervals [UIs], were stratified by age, sex, year, and region. RESULTS: In 2020, 1.07 million (95% UI: 0.76, 1.51) people were blind due to DR, with nearly 3.28 million (95% UI: 2.41, 4.34) experiencing MSVI. The GBD super-regions with the highest percentage of all DR-related blindness and MSVI were Latin America and the Caribbean (6.95% [95% UI: 5.08, 9.51]) and North Africa and the Middle East (2.12% [95% UI: 1.55, 2.79]), respectively. Between 2000 and 2020, changes in DR-related blindness and MSVI were greater among females than males, predominantly in the super-regions of South Asia (blindness) and Southeast Asia, East Asia, and Oceania (MSVI). CONCLUSIONS: Given the rapid global rise in diabetes and increased life expectancy, DR is anticipated to persist as a significant public health challenge. The findings emphasise the need for gender-specific interventions and region-specific DR healthcare policies to mitigate disparities and prevent avoidable blindness. This study contributes to the expanding body of literature on the burden of DR, highlighting the need for increased global attention and investment in this research area.
This page summarises published work. The authoritative version sits with the publisher.
DOI: 10.1038/s41433-024-03101-5
Is something wrong with this record? Report it or request removal.
Discussion
Have you built on this work, tried to replicate it, or seen it applied in practice? Share what you know. Verified researchers and MARATTO™ domain experts can open a discussion, and any member can reply. Contributions are reviewed before they appear.
No discussion yet. Open the first thread.
New to MARATTO™? Create a free account.
