All people with diabetes are at risk of developing retinopathy (Ministry of Health 2008). Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a chronic, progressive, and potentially sight-threatening disease of the eye (The Royal College of Ophthalmologists 2012). Studies suggest Māori and Pacific Island peoples have a higher incidence of moderate and severe diabetic retinopathy than New Zealanders of European descent (Papali’i-Curtin et al 2013; Simmons et al 2007). The most significant risk factor for DR is time since diagnosis (Ministry of Health 2008), but prolonged elevated blood glucose (hyperglycaemia) and other conditions linked to diabetes such as high blood pressure (hypertension) also contribute to development of the condition (Ministry of Health 2008; The Royal College of Ophthalmologists 2012). Prompt referral after diagnosis of diabetes (type 2) and five years post diagnosis (type 1) and regular screening and monitoring thereafter are imperative because DR is often asymptomatic and damage to the eye may have occurred prior to a diagnosis of diabetes (American Diabetes Association 2014).
