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The Relationship Between Peripheral Neuropathy and Diabetic Retinopathy

There is a clear relationship Between Peripheral Neuropathy and Diabetic Retinopathy, both are based on the the same pathogenesis. At the the World Ophthalmology Congress (WOC) 2010, June 7 the following data on the relationship were presented as a poster:

"Patients with peripheral neuropathy were twice as likely as those without to have diabetic retinopathy," Dr. Tan concluded. "This association was stronger for moderate or severe diabetic retinopathy even after adjusting for haemoglobin [Hb] A1C. Diabetics should therefore be screened regularly for retinopathy," he said.

Glycaemic control measured by Hb A1C was not a risk factor for peripheral neuropathy suggesting that other factors predisposing diabetics to peripheral neuropathy may also increase their susceptibility to diabetic retinopathy, according to these findings.

[Presentation title: The Relationship Between Peripheral Neuropathy and Diabetic Retinopathy in an Asian Population (The Singapore Malay Eye Study). Poster MO-169]

Jan M. Keppel Hesselink, MD, PhD, june 2010