RT Book, Section A1 Effron, David A1 Forcier, Beverly C. A1 Wyszynski, Richard E. A2 Knoop, Kevin J. A2 Stack, Lawrence B. A2 Storrow, Alan B. A2 Thurman, R. Jason SR Print(0) ID 1181039644 T1 Diabetic Retinopathy T2 The Atlas of Emergency Medicine, 5e YR 2021 FD 2021 PB McGraw-Hill PP New York, NY SN 9781260134940 LK accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1181039644 RD 2024/03/28 AB The early ocular manifestations of diabetes mellitus are referred to as background diabetic retinopathy (BDR). Fundus findings include flame or splinter hemorrhages (located in the superficial nerve fiber layer) or dot and blot hemorrhages (located deeper in the retina), hard exudates, retinal edema, and microaneurysms. If these signs are located in the macula, the patient’s visual acuity may be decreased or at risk of becoming compromised, requiring laser treatment. Preproliferative diabetic retinopathy can show BDR changes plus cotton wool spots, intraretinal microvascular abnormalities, and venous beading. Proliferative diabetic retinopathy is demonstrated by neovascularization at the disk (NVD) or elsewhere (NVE). These require laser therapy owing to risk of severe visual loss from sequelae: vitreous hemorrhage, tractional retinal detachment, and severe glaucoma.