Perceived versus Actual Severity of Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetes is a very serious disease that affects 30 million people in the US alone. Many complications can stem from diabetes, especially as affected indivduals age and their health starts to deteriorate. One of these complications is known as diabetic retinopathy, and can affect the small blood vessels in the eye ultimately leading to blindness. Patients with diabetes have varying knowledge about their disease and its manifestations/management. How much patients know can have a profound effect on the course of their disease as well as relevant clinical outcomes.