Table 7.

Recommendations for treatment of Risk Factors

Parameter	Recommended value*	Evidence
Glycated Haemoglobin (HbA1c)[49,50]	6.5 - 7%	The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) in type 1 diabetes,[49] and the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) in type 2 diabetes.[50] The DCCT and the UKPDS have demonstrated that intensive glycemic control (HbA1c ≤7%) reduced both the development and progression of DR, with the beneficial effects of intensive glycemic control persisting for upto 10 to 20 years.
Blood Pressure (BP)[51,52]	Systolic BP: ≤130 mm of Mercury for those with Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) Systolic BP of <140 mmHg for those without DR and/or cardiac/renal complications of diabetes.	The UKPDS showed that, among patients with T2D, tight BP control (mean BP 144/82 mm Hg) resulted in a significant reduction in progression of DR (35%) as well as a decrease in significant visual loss and the need for laser photocoagulation compared to less tight control (mean BP 154/87 mmHg).[51]
Serum Lipid Levels[53]	Total cholesterol <200 mg/dl Serum Triglycerides <150 mg/dl Serum LDL (low density lipoprotein) cholesterol <100 mg/dl	The Fenofibrate Intervention and Event Lowering in Diabetes (FIELD) study found that requirement for first laser treatment for retinopathy was significantly lower in the group given 200 mg fenofibrate once daily.[53]

*Needs to be individualized