Silver Book Fact
The number of Americans age 40 and older with diabetic retinopathy is projected to triple between 2005 and 2050–increasing from 5.5 million to 16 million. The number of people age 40 and older with vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy is also projected to grow from 1.2 million in 2005 to 3.4 million in 2050.
Saaddine J, Honeycutt A, Narayan V, Zhang X, et al. Projection of Diabetic Retinopathy and Other Major Eye Diseases Among People with Diabetes Mellitus: United States 2005-2050. Arch Ophthalmol. 2008; 126(12): 170-7. http://archopht.ama-assn.org/cgi/reprint/126/12/1740.pdf