TABLE 1

American Diabetes Association screening recommendations for diabetic retinopathy in different patient populations

Patient population	Initial eye examination	Follow-up eye examination interval
Type 1 diabetes	Within 5 years after onset of type 1 diabetes	At least annually^{^a}
Type 2 diabetes	At time of diagnosis of type 2 diabetes	At least annually^{^a}
Preexisting diabetes and planning on pregnancy	Before pregnancy	Every trimester and up to 1 year post partum
Gestational diabetes	Not required^{^b}	Not required^{^b}

↵^a If diabetic retinopathy is symptomatic or sight-threatening, examinations should be more frequent. If ≥ 1 annual eye examination shows no evidence of diabetic retinopathy, examinations can occur every 1 to 2 years.
↵^b Individuals who develop gestational diabetes do not appear to be at increased risk of developing diabetic retinopathy during pregnancy.
Based on information from references 2,11–13.