A patient and clinician resource
What Is Diabetic Retinopathy?
Diabetic retinopathy is a complication of diabetes that damages the blood vessels of the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye — the retina. It is the most common cause of vision loss among people with diabetes and the leading cause of blindness in working-age adults.
The condition develops gradually, often with no symptoms in its early stages. This is what makes it so dangerous — and why systematic screening is essential.
The Stages of Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic retinopathy progresses through four recognized stages, classified by the International Clinical Diabetic Retinopathy (ICDR) Disease Severity Scale:
Mild non-proliferative DR: Small areas of balloon-like swelling in the retina's tiny blood vessels, called microaneurysms. Vision is typically unaffected at this stage.
Moderate non-proliferative DR: Some blood vessels that nourish the retina become blocked. Changes become more widespread.
Severe non-proliferative DR: Many more blood vessels are blocked, depriving areas of the retina of their blood supply. The retina signals the body to grow new blood vessels.
Proliferative DR (PDR): New, abnormal blood vessels grow on the surface of the retina. These vessels are fragile and can leak blood into the eye, causing severe vision loss or blindness.
Why Early Detection Is Critical
When diabetic retinopathy is detected at the mild or moderate stage, treatment options are most effective and vision loss can be prevented. Once the disease progresses to PDR, treatment becomes more complex and outcomes are less predictable.
The challenge is that patients often have no symptoms until the disease is already advanced. This is why annual retinal screening — not waiting for symptoms — is the standard recommendation for all patients with diabetes.
The Role of Autonomous AI Screening
Autonomous AI systems like EyeArt make systematic annual screening practical at scale. By delivering a clinical-grade result at the point of care in real time, they enable primary care providers to screen every eligible patient at every diabetes visit — closing the gap between guideline recommendations and real-world practice.