DIARETINEV was also asked in 2002, and for that year, persons who answered "yes" were asked a follow-up question about whether they had diabetic retinopathy during the past 12 months (DIARETINYR).

The Field Representative's Manual for 2002 defined diabetic retinopathy as "an eye problem of diabetes that damages the tiny blood vessels in the retina. The retina is the tissue at the back of the eye." This definition was not routinely shared with persons. The National Eye Institute reports that diabetic retinopathy is the most common eye disease of diabetes and a leading cause of blindness for American adults.