The prevalence of retinopathy in the insulin-requiring diabetic patients of an English country town.

A population-based survey of the insulin-requiring diabetics of a representative population was carried out. The overall prevalence of diabetes was 10.9/1000, that of insulin-requiring diabetes 4.1/1000. No retinopathy was found in 59%, background retinopathy was found in 33% and proliferative and advanced disease in 8%, diabetic maculopathy was present in 6.8% and the prevalence of potentially treatable disease undetected was 7.6%. Significant risk factors identified for retinopathy were increased duration of diabetes and elevated diastolic blood pressure, those for maculopathy an increased age at examination and onset of diabetes and an elevated systolic blood pressure.