[Hemorheological aspects of diabetic retinopathy]

Among the various factors which contribute to the onset of diabetic retinopathy, modifications both in the retinal vessel walls and the circulating blood volume have been recognized. It cannot be excluded that the indicated hemorheologic alterations and the presence and severity of diabetic retinopathy are independent manifestations, both of them secondary to the metabolic imbalance and not correlated as cause and effect. Nevertheless, the possibility to modify through drugs and an appropriate metabolic control the probably altered hemorheologic situation in diabetes mellitus certainly represents the aim to pursue in order to reduce the severity of diabetic retinopathy.