ABSTRACT
Diabetic eye disease is the commonest cause of blindness in the UK.
The prevalence of retinopathy rises progressively with increasing
duration of diabetes and worsening diabetic control. In patients with
type 2 diabetes, 20% have evidence of retinopathy within 2 years of
diagnosis and 60% within 15 years of diagnosis.16 However, the com-
monest cause of blindness in type 2 diabetes is cataract formation,
which is accelerated in diabetic patients.
