Highlights
In a cohort of 1359 youth with type 1 diabetes, diabetic retinopathy was uncommon but not rare, affecting 5.1% of eyes, while diabetic macular edema was very rare at 0.3% of eyes.
Older age, longer diabetes duration, earlier diabetes onset, higher HbA1c, and elevated or high blood pressure were associated with diabetic retinopathy, with glycemic control and blood pressure standing out as clinically modifiable factors.
