Diabetic retinopathy. Review of 82 patients presenting with unilateral blindness.

Of the 82 patients who presented to our clinic with unilateral blindness secondary to diabetic retinopathy, 76% had PDR in the blind eye, 4% had non-proliferative retinopathy, and 20% had macular exudates. The second eye, in most instances, had or developed the same pathology as the first eye. Visual prognosis was poor for the 59 patients who had PDR in the second eye; 24 became blind at an average of 15-7 months after presentation. Those patients who were treated seemed to fare better than those not treated. Only three of the fourteen patients who had pituitary ablations became blind, but the average age of this group was, of course, significantly lower than that of the others. Nine of the 22 patients who received photocoagulation became blind in the second eye. Twelve of the 24 patients who received no treatment became blind in the second eye. Visual prognosis for patients with non-proliferative retinopathy was much better; ten patients maintained useful vision for an average of 4 years follow-up. Of the twelve patients with macular exudates in the second eye, three became blind at an average of 34 months after presentation.