Introduction
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a serious global health concern and Egypt ranks high in terms of DM prevalence. DM is the main reason for visual loss in Egypt, with a high percentage of diabetic individuals suffering from diabetic retinopathy (DR). The modified Airlie House classification has been the gold standard for evaluating DR, but it does not cover the peripheral region of the retina, which can contribute to DR progression. Recent advancements in retinal imaging technology such as ultrawide field (UWF) cameras, have made it possible to capture a larger portion of the retina, including the peripheral areas.
Using UWF cameras a subset of eyes with lesions located predominantly beyond the ETDRS fields have been identified. These lesions are termed predominantly peripheral lesions (PPL) and have been associated with an increased risk of DR progression and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).
PPL may also be linked to comorbidities like hypertension, renal disease, anemia, and coronary artery disease (CAD).