Our resource hub is home to a wealth of articles, stories and videos about managing and living with type 1 diabetes.
Place your order for our free information packs that support adults and children who have been recently diagnosed.
Our researchers are working on different ways to develop a cure for type 1 diabetes - from growing insulin-producing beta cells in labs to hacking the immune system.
Learn about the technologies that can deliver insulin automatically when needed. And discover the next generation of insulins that are currently being developed.
You could win a cash prize of up to £25,000 when you play the Breakthrough T1D lottery. As well as the chance to win great prizes, you’ll also help fund our research to find a cure for type 1 diabetes.
Your donations help support people living with type 1 diabetes today and fund the best treatment and cure research, no matter where in the world it takes place.
The announcement is the biggest treatment breakthrough for type 1 diabetes since the discovery of insulin.
Join our Virtual Triathlon Challenge and swim, cycle and run while raising money to fund Breakthrough T1D’s life-changing type 1 research.
We provide a wealth of information and free resources to help you support and empower your patients or students.
Take our free course for schools to learn more about supporting pupils with type 1 diabetes in educational settings.
JDRF has now rebranded to Breakthrough T1D. Our name has changed, our mission has not.
Home > News & events > News > African Caribbean people with type 1 diabetes are more at risk of sight loss
New research from Kings College London found that African Caribbean people with type 1 diabetes are more likely to develop diabetic retinopathy, which can lead to sight loss. The research study is published in a paper in the journal Diabetes Care.
Diabetic retinopathy is damage to the cells at the back of the eye, called the retina. These cells convert light into electric signals to send to the brain, so are crucial for sight. Diabetic retinopathy happens when high (and potentially low) blood sugar levels damage the tiny blood vessels that supply the retina. Diabetic retinopathy takes years to develop and can eventually lead to sight loss and blindness.
Lead researcher Dr Janaka Karalliedde said, “We undertook this study because there are no previous studies in people with type 1 diabetes of the potential impact of ethnicity on diabetic retinopathy. Our novel observation that people with type 1 diabetes of African Caribbean ethnicity are at 39% greater risk of sight threating retinopathy independent of conventional risk factors suggests that enhanced retinal surveillance and risk factor control may be needed in such higher risk groups.”
Dr Karalliedde and his team recruited people from South London with type 1 diabetes from a range of ethnicities who had no signs of retinopathy. They monitored their participants over six years to see who went on to develop diabetic retinopathy. Then they looked for similarities in the people with diabetic retinopathy to find out which people were most at risk.
The results showed that the African Caribbean people in the study attended the same number of eye screenings as the Caucasian people, who were at the lowest risk of diabetic retinopathy. This means missed eye screenings isn’t to blame for the difference in risk. The researchers also considered other risk factors of diabetic retinopathy such as unstable blood glucose levels, socioeconomic status and high blood pressure, but none of these factors affected the results. Therefore, the researchers are keen to explore the link between ethnicity and diabetic retinopathy further.
The researchers warn that more thorough eye exams are needed for groups at higher risk of diabetic retinopathy. It’s also important that African Caribbean people are supported to reduce other risk factors of diabetic retinopathy including high blood pressure and cholesterol to limit their overall risk.
“Sight loss is devastating. This is important research because it helps us begin to understand how rates of type 1 diabetes disease progression can be more aggressive across different ethnicity patient populations. Findings like these can help evidence and design more personalised treatment pathways, helping to prevent sight loss and disability.”
The same research group also published a paper in 2022 which found that African Caribbean people are more at risk of developing diabetic kidney disease. Find out more about their research into diabetic kidney disease.
Sana Biotechnology, a US-based biotech company, has released clinical data showing that the first person receiving engineered islets from deceased donors is now producing insulin without the need for immunosuppressive drugs.
Our highlights from a year full of breakthroughs in type 1 diabetes research and advocacy.
We’ve awarded four new grants to UK researchers to help improve lives and develop cures for people living with type 1 diabetes.
The framework aims to encourage UK researchers to consider different sexes (biological attributes) and genders (roles, behaviours and identity in society) to address gaps in health data.
It’s thanks to your dedication that we have funded great progress in type 1 cure, treatment and prevention research. Help us to continue our vital research.