Silver Book Fact
From 2005 – 2008, around 4.2 million diabetics age 40 and older had diabetic retinopathy. Of these, 655,000 had advanced diabetic retinopathy that could lead to severe vision loss.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease and Health Promotion. National Diabetes Fact Sheet: National estimates and general information on diabetes and prediabetes in the United States, 2011. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control & Prevention; 2011. http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/pubs/pdf/ndfs_2011.pdf