29 May 2021 WHY DIABETIC RETINOPATHY IS A SERIOUS HEALTH CRISIS AND HOW IT CAN BE EFFECTIVELY ADDRESSED THE DIABETES EPIDEMICDiabetes is a hugeand growing problem,and the costs to societyare high and escalating 1 OUT OF 11 Americans have diabetesDiabetes home basics, Center for Disease Control and Prevention website.http://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/basics/index.html Updated October 7, 2015.Accessed February 8, 2016. 1 OUT OF 3 have prediabetes butonly 7% know they have it. FACTS ABOUT DIABETIC RETINOPATHY Number one cause ofpreventable blindness Silent disease that may showno symptoms until it’s too late Affects 30%to 50%of diabetics ages 20-74