Download PDF
Open Access
CC BY 4.0 · Journal of Diabetes and Endocrine Practice
DOI: 10.1055/s-0045-1814081
Review Article

Consensus Guidelines for the Screening and Management of Diabetic Retinopathy in the Gulf Region

Authors

  • Fatheya Alawadi

    1   Endocrine Section, Department of Endocrinology, Mohamed Bin Rashid University (MBRU), Dubai Health, United Arab Emirates

  • Noura Al Qassimi

    2   Department of Medical Retina and Uveitis, Sheikh Khalifa Medical City, United Arab Emirates

  • Hussein Elbadawi 

    3   Metabolic Unit, Department of Endocrinology, My Clinic International, Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

  • Abdulrahman F. Albloushi

    4   Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

  • Yousef M. Aldhafiri

    5   Retina and Uveitis Unit, Sh. Jaber Al Ahmad Hospital, MOH, Kuwait

  • Thamer Alessa 

    6   Division of Endocrinology and Diabetes, Jaber Al-Ahmad Hospital and Dasman Diabetes Institute, Kuwait

  • Rayaz A. Malik 

    7   Department of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Doha, Qatar

  • Anant Pai

    8   Department of Ophthalmology and Vitreo-Retinal Surgery, Hamad Medical Corporation, Weill Cornell Medical College Qatar, Doha, Qatar

  • Hussein Raef

    9   Department of Endocrinology, King Faisal Hospital and Research Centre, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

  • Ahmed Alsatrawi

    10   Department of Medical Retina and Uveitis, Government Hospitals, Kingdom of Bahrain

  • Nasreen Alsayed

    11   Department of Endocrinology and Lipidology, Dar Alsaha Medical Center, Manama City, Bahrain

  • Majid S. Al Shaaibi

    12   Department of Ophthalmology, Medical Retina and Uveitis, Ministry of Health, Oman

  • Hanan Nasser Al Shamsi

    13   Department of Ophthalmology, NMC Specialty Hospital, United Arab Emirates

  • Khalid Al Waili

    14   Department of Medical Biochemistry and Lipidology, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, University Medical City, Oman

  • Mohamed Hassanein 

    15   Department of Endocrinology and Medicine, Mohamed Bin Rashid University (MBRU), Dubai Hospital, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Further Information
Also available at
  Permissions and Reprints

Abstract

Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) is the world's leading cause of preventable blindness among working age adults, and affects individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM), including type 1 and type 2 DM, among others. The global increase in the prevalence of DM has been accompanied by a parallel increase in the prevalence (20–40%) of DR, especially in countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and Oman. Research on DR in the Gulf region is limited; however, several common risk factors drive the development and progression of DR, including poor glycemic control, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. There is also a need for effective screening and management programs for DR. The development of tailored region-specific guidelines for the Gulf region is key to effective DR prevention, early detection, and treatment. The current health care systems and information technology infrastructure are sufficiently well-developed to implement national DR screening programs and cohesive management strategies through primary and secondary care to have a major impact on reducing blindness in the Gulf region.

Keywords

anti-VEGF - diabetes mellitus - diabetic macular edema - diabetic retinopathy - ophthalmic screening - type 1 diabetes - type 2 diabetes

Author Contributions

All authors contributed to the writing and review of the manuscript. F.A. is the principal editor and first author for the manuscript.


Data Availability Statement

All data generated during this initiative are included in this article. Further inquiries can be directed to the corresponding author.




Publication History

Article published online:
02 December 2025

© 2025. The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)

Thieme Medical and Scientific Publishers Pvt. Ltd.
A-12, 2nd Floor, Sector 2, Noida-201301 UP, India