[Diabetic retinopathy and risk modification through diet and dietary supplements]

A diabetes-appropriate diet and exercise are essential components in the management of diabetes. Systematic reviews on the influence of diet on diabetic retinopathy (DR) suggest that nutrition plays an important role in risk reduction. Early dietary modification can slow or even prevent the development and progression of DR. A Mediterranean diet, high fruit, vegetable and fish consumption as well as reduced caloric intake may have a protective effect on the development of DR; however, most of the nutrition-related reviews on DR have focused on a specific food, nutrient or dietary pattern; nevertheless, few have comprehensively evaluated the entire spectrum of dietary components. Although there are clear recommendations on diet and guidelines for the treatment of diabetes and prediabetes, their specific contribution to the development and progression of DR is not clearly defined. . Evidence suggests that early dietary modification or dietary modification in the early stages can slow or even prevent the development and progression of DR, thus reducing the treatment burden. Another important lifestyle factor is physical activity, which can also modulate the risk of DR. In this review, we present the current scientific literature on this topic, including the most important natural molecules that can support conventional treatment of DR.