Characteristics Value Number of patients (eyes) 49 (49 eyes) Age, mean ± SD 54.1 ± 10.5 Sex. Male/female 28:21 Duration of diabetes (years), mean ± SD 10.6 ± 8.3 HbA1c (%), mean ±SD 8.8 ± 1.7 Hypertension, no, % 24 (49%)

Table 1: Clinical characteristics of patients at baseline.