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Treatment research project

Can hybrid closed loop technology affect eye problems in type 1 diabetes?

Dr Matthew Anson is studying whether hybrid closed loop technology, also known as an artificial pancreas, affects the worsening of diabetic eye disease.
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Emma Williams 24 January 2025

A photo of Dr Matthew Anson, a researcher funded by Breakthrough T1D and Novo Nordisk UK Research Foundation.

People with type 1 diabetes (T1D) can sometimes develop worsening eye disease, called diabetic retinopathy, after a new treatment causes a sudden improvement in their blood glucose levels. We’ve teamed up with The Novo Nordisk UK Research Foundation to co-fund Dr Matthew Anson, a doctor at Aintree University Hospital in Liverpool, to study how hybrid closed loop technology might affect the worsening of diabetic retinopathy.

What is diabetic retinopathy?

People with T1D are at greater risk of developing eye problems like diabetic retinopathy. In diabetic retinopathy, the blood vessels in the back of the eye become damaged due to persistently high blood glucose. This can lead to vision loss if left untreated. Learn more about T1D and eye problems.

Paradoxically, people with T1D can sometimes develop a worsening of diabetic retinopathy if their blood glucose levels improve rapidly, for example as the result of a new treatment.

What is hybrid closed loop technology?

Hybrid closed loop (HCL) technology takes readings from a continuous glucose monitor and uses an algorithm to tell an insulin pump how much insulin to deliver. This recent technological advancement can lead to a sudden improvement in blood glucose levels. This is important in helping to prevent long-term T1D complications like heart disease, but it may worsen diabetic retinopathy in some people.

What will Matthew do in this project?

In this project, Matthew will look at how diabetic retinopathy changes in people starting on HCL compared to those on insulin injections. He will also investigate the biological processes that are driving these changes so that treatments can be developed to intervene with them.

By taking images of the eye and measures of electrical activity, he will be able to tell how many people develop worsening diabetic retinopathy and who are most at risk. Matthew will also work with experts in artificial intelligence to create a software that predicts the worsening of diabetic eye disease.

How will this project benefit people with T1D?

This project will benefit people with T1D by helping healthcare professionals detect and diagnose diabetic retinopathy earlier, which could lead to more personalised treatment. It will also raise awareness among both patients and healthcare professionals about those at risk of developing diabetic eye disease, allowing earlier intervention and helping to prevent vision loss. The project may also lead to the development of new treatments for diabetic retinopathy and improve access to eye screenings, ensuring better care and outcomes for people with T1D.

Is Breakthrough T1D UK funding any other research like this?

We fund lots of research into managing, delaying and preventing complications associated with T1D. We also support research that aims to find new ways to prevent the development of diabetic eye disease, stop its progression to preserve visual function, and restore lost vision through our partnership with the Mary Tyler Moore Vision Initiative.

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