Recent advances in the management and understanding of diabetic retinopathy

Despite recent advances in the diagnosis and treatment of diabetic retinopathy, this complication remains a steadfast challenge to patients and physicians. This review summarizes recent progress in the diagnosis and management of diabetic retinopathy, including automated screening, optical coherence tomography, control of systemic risk factors, surgical techniques, laser treatment, and pharmaceutical treatment, including vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors. Recent advances in pharmaceutical treatments, in particular, hold strong promise of halting and sometimes reversing the disease process. Clinicians nevertheless must remain vigilant in their efforts to diagnose and treat this disease early in its course.