Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the major cause of new blindness among adults aged 20–74 years. In persons with diabetes, clinical manifestations of DR are preceded by pre-clinical DR (PCDR), which is characterized by basement membrane thickening, vascular endothelial cell death, and diffusively increased vascular permeability. Despite recent advances, the mechanisms leading to these changes in the retina are poorly understood.