Association between age at diagnosis of diabetes and ocular disease: Insights from a recent article

Abstract

In this article, we discuss Ye et al's recent article on the association between age at diabetes diagnosis and subsequent risk of age-related ocular diseases. The study, which utilized United Kingdom Biobank data, highlighted a strong link between early diabetes onset and major eye conditions, such as cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, and vision loss, independent of glycemic control and disease duration. This finding challenges the previous belief that diabetic eye disease primarily correlates with hyperglycemia. As lifestyles evolve and the age of diabetes diagnosis decreases, understanding this relationship may reveal the complex pathogenesis underlying diabetes-related complications. This editorial summarizes potential mechanisms connecting the age of diabetes onset with four types of ocular diseases, emphasizing the significance of early diagnosis.

Keywords: Diabetes; Age at diagnosis; Cataract; Glaucoma; Age-related macular disease; Vision acuity

Core Tip: The risk of eye diseases, including cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration and vision loss, may be greater among patients who are younger at the time of diabetes diagnosis. Younger patients at the time of diabetes diagnosis may have more severe pathogenicity and refractoriness, which provides some guidance for screening diabetic patients for eye disease. This article reviews the mechanism underlying the occurrence and development of diabetes and eye diseases and the role of age at the time of diabetes diagnosis.