Association between diabetic retinopathy and age-related macular degeneration: a systematic review and meta-analysis

WHAT IS KNOWN : • Diabetic retinopathy (DR) and age-related macular degeneration (AMD) are leading causes of visual impairment, and both share overlapping pathogenic mechanisms such as oxidative stress and vascular dysfunction. • Previous studies exploring the association between DR and AMD have reported inconsistent findings, with some suggesting DR as a risk factor and others reporting a protective association.

• This is the first systematic review and meta-analysis specifically examining the association between DR and AMD. • Our results demonstrate no significant relationship between DR and AMD, despite high between-study heterogeneity and robust sensitivity analyses. • The findings highlight that existing evidence is primarily based on unadjusted data, emphasizing the need for well-designed prospective cohort studies that account for confounding variables and treatment effects.