In Brief:
Using the 5% sample of Medicare claims data the 10-year incidence of dry and wet AMD was compared among elderly beneficiaries with newly diagnosed DM without retinopathy (n = 6,621), NPDR (n = 1,307), and PDR (n = 327) compared with an equivalent number of matched controls without diabetes for each sample group. A significantly increased risk of dry and wet AMD was identified with newly diagnosed NPDR, and a significantly increased risk of wet AMD only was identified with newly diagnosed PDR. Diabetes mellitus without retinopathy did not affect the risk of dry or wet AMD.
