AIM: To investigate the related risk factors of diabetic retinopathy(DR)in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(DM)in residents of community in our local area and provide a clinical evidence for prevention and treatment for the complication of DM.

METHODS: The residents who lived in our local community with type 2 DM and hospitalized were studied. The stages of DR and duration of DM, blood pressure, level of blood glucose, blood lipids and other factors were analyzed statistically.

RESULTS: Fifty-three patients(30.1%)were found with DR in 176 cases. The risk factors included the diabetic duration and glycosylated hemoglobin(all P<0.05). Age, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, 2-hour postprandial blood glucose, serum cholesterol, triglycerides, high dense lipoprotein, low dense lipoprotein, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, creatinine, blood urea nitrogen were not risk factors of DR(all P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Diabetic duration and glycosylated hemoglobin are the risk factors of DR.