Consensus Guidelines for the Screening and Management of Diabetic Retinopathy in the Gulf Region

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is the world's leading cause of preventable blindness among working age adults, and affects individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM), including type 1 and type 2 DM, among others. The global increase in the prevalence of DM has been accompanied by a parallel increase in the prevalence (20–40%) of DR, especially in countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman. Research on DR in the Gulf region is limited; however, several common risk factors drive the development and progression of DR, including poor glycemic control, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. There is also a need for effective screening and management programs for DR. The development of tailored region-specific guidelines for the Gulf region is key to effective DR prevention, early detection, and treatment. The current health care systems and information technology infrastructure are sufficiently well-developed to implement national DR screening programs and cohesive management strategies through primary and secondary care to have a major impact on reducing blindness in the Gulf region.