Introduction
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a growing global health issue and the most common endocrine disorder where the body does not either produce enough insulin or has an insulin resistance. Diabetic retinopathy (DR), which is a common complication in type 1 and type 2 diabetes, remains as a leading cause of preventable sight loss. The most relevant risk factors are the duration of diabetes, poor glycaemic control (high HbA1c) and hypertension.
Classification and grading of DR depends on signs of increasing severity that can be visualized by ophthalmoscope, ranked into a scale from no retinopathy to different stages of non-proliferative disease then advanced PDR.
Determination of the stage of DR severity is essential for assessment of progression risk, treatment modalities, and approving suitable follow up interval. Fundus photography, with or without pupillary dilation, is a technique for detecting documenting the severity of the diabetes.
Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is a clinical test for mean blood glucose estimation. It is widely used to diagnose diabetes and for treatment efficacy monitoring.