New study shows that diabetic eye disease is up, but the most severe forms are down

Although the prevalence of diabetes-related eye diseases almost doubled since 2014, the rates of most severe forms of the disease have actually decreased, according to a new study led by researchers at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. The lead author Brian VanderBeek, MD, MPH, MSCE, an associate professor of Ophthalmology, received an RPB / Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative Physician-Scientist Award, which supported his work.

According to a report by the University of Pennsylvania, the researchers believe that their findings, published in Ophthalmology, demonstrate the adeptness of health care providers in the United States in diagnosing and treating diabetes over the years. At the same time, they believe it could also provide a glimpse of potential vision-threatening diseases lying in wait in the future.  

“Our work shows that more than 30 percent of all patients with diabetes now have some form of diabetic retinal disease, which means that the number of people at risk for vision loss continues to grow,” said Dr. VanderBeek. “But our work has maybe also revealed that the most severe forms of the disease are becoming less common, suggesting clinicians may be getting better at treating systemic diabetes.” 

Since more than 10 percent of the United States population, 38 million people, are now diagnosed with diabetes, and over 98 million have pre-diabetes—numbers that have been steadily growing for decades—it is vital to obtain a full picture of the risks associated with the disease, including development of diabetic retinal disease that could ultimately lead to vision loss so that health workers and public health officials can accurately assess and address them.  

Learn more about the study in the University of Pennsylvania’s news release.

April 17, 2025