Seth Miller, MD

Assuming that a given patient is reliable for follow-up and that a clinical system is in place to handle a more individualized screening protocol, the investigators suggest the following approach: 3-year intervals for patients with no retinopathy and no risk factors (risk factors being diabetes for longer than 20 years or use of insulin); annual screening for patients with no retinopathy and 1 or both risk factors or for patients with background retinopathy; and 4-month intervals for patients with mild preproliferative retinopathy.

These intervals provide at least a 95% probability of remaining free of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy between screenings.

Assuming that a given patient is reliable for follow-up and that a clinical system is in place to handle a more individualized screening protocol, the investigators suggest the following approach: 3-year intervals for patients with no retinopathy and no risk factors (risk factors being diabetes for longer than 20 years or use of insulin); annual screening for patients with no retinopathy and 1 or both risk factors or for patients with background retinopathy; and 4-month intervals for patients with mild preproliferative retinopathy.

These intervals provide at least a 95% probability of remaining free of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy between screenings.

Assuming that a given patient is reliable for follow-up and that a clinical system is in place to handle a more individualized screening protocol, the investigators suggest the following approach: 3-year intervals for patients with no retinopathy and no risk factors (risk factors being diabetes for longer than 20 years or use of insulin); annual screening for patients with no retinopathy and 1 or both risk factors or for patients with background retinopathy; and 4-month intervals for patients with mild preproliferative retinopathy.

These intervals provide at least a 95% probability of remaining free of sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy between screenings.