The association between the use of sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor and the risk of diabetic retinopathy and other eye disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: To assess the association between the use of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) and the incidence of diabetic retinopathy (DR). Research design and methods: PubMed, Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and Clinicaltrial.gov were searched from inception to October 2021. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with reports of incidence of DR and other eye disorders between SGLT2i and non-SGLT2i users with type 2 diabetes mellitus were included. Results: In general, the incidences of DR were comparable between SGLT2i and non-SGLT2i users (OR = 0.80, 95%CI 0.61 to 1.06, P = 0.12). However, compared with non-SGLT2i users, the incidence of DR was significantly reduced in SGLT2i users with diabetes duration less than 10 years (OR = 0.32, 95%CI 0.13 to 0.76, P = 0.01). Weight reduction in SGLT2i users was associated with a decreased risk of retinal detachment. Moreover, longer study duration was associated with lower incidence of cataract and retinal vasculopathy in SGLT2i users. Conclusions: In general, the use of SGLT2i was not associated with the incidence of DR. However, a reduced risk of DR was observed in SGLT2i users with diabetes duration less than 10 years. An early initiation of SGLT2i might be more likely to provide with ocular benefits.