The role of statins in diabetic retinopathy

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a growing global public health issue estimated to affect around 600 million people by 2040 [1]. It occurs in populations throughout the world, is increasing in both the developing world and high-income countries and also affects young, working-age people. Ocular involvement in diabetes occurs early in the disease and is present in over a third of diabetes mellitus Type 2 patients at the time of diagnosis. Blindness due to diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains a leading cause of adult-onset blindness, [1] which results from disruption of retinal vasculature, ischemia and its consequences and exudation causing macular edema. The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy is increasing at a greater rate than other causes of blindness including cataract, refractive errors, age-related macular degeneration and glaucoma. Compared to cataract and refractive error, management of diabetic retinopathy requires vast medical resources, including trained medical practitioners able to perform ocular injections and ophthalmologists for laser treatments and retinal surgery. This creates a significant burden on medical services as care for these patients lasts decades.

Keywords: Diabetic Retinopathy; Statins: diabetes; Type 1; Type 2.