Answers

Question 1

a. False. Type 1 diabetes is caused by auto-immune destruction of the insulin secreting cells in the pancreas and cannot be prevented.
b. True.
c. True.
d. False. There is no evidence that any drug is superior to any other. The important thing is to lower the blood pressure.

Question 2

a. False. Perfect control is unobtainable. Good control reduces the risk of DR and delays it, but most people with diabetes will eventually get some DR.
b. False. Very few people will go blind from DR if they are treated. It is important to inform them of the risks, but not to frighten them away. They need to know that effective treatments are available.
c. True.
d. False. People with diabetes have lives, families, and jobs. We need to ensure that detecting and treating retinopathy is simple, quick, and inexpensive.

Question 3

a. True.
b. True.
c. False. Patients who have oedema near the fovea may still have normal vision, although they need treatment.
d. False. A clinical trial showed that intravitreal steroid was not as good as laser, and may cause glaucoma.

Question 4

a. True.
b. True.
c. False. Non-ophthalmologists may be trained to detect retinopathy in photographs.
d. False. Diabetes is more common in urban populations, but it is becoming much more common everywhere, including poor and rural communities.