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ACCORD Eye Study: A subgroup of 2856 participants was evaluated for the effects of these interventions (aggressive BP control, aggressive glycemic control and aggresssive lipid control at 4 years on the progression of diabetic retinopathy by 3 or more steps on the Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study Severity Scale (as assessed from seven-field stereoscopic fundus photographs, with 17 possible steps and a higher number of steps indicating greater severity) or the development of diabetic retinopathy necessitating laser photocoagulation or vitrectomy.   This article (10.1056/NEJMoa1001288) was published on June 29, 2010, at NEJM.org.   http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMoa1001288

Conclusions: Intensive glycemic control and intensive combination treatment (statin plus fenofibrate) of dyslipidemia, but not intensive blood-pressure control, reduced the rate of progression of diabetic retinopathy.

Fenofibrate, when added to statin therapy, slows the progression of diabetic retinopathy in patients with type 2 diabetes. Authors did not find a significant difference in the progression of diabetic retinopathy between patients receiving standard antihypertensive therapy and those receiving intensive antihypertensive therapy according to treatment protocols.

This is now the third study suggesting microvascular benefits with fenofibrate:  DAIS (microalbuminuria): FIELD (microalbuminuria, retinopathy and amputations of feet and toes due to neuropathic ulcerations). Editorialist in the NEJM stated the findings strongly suggest the need for further evaluation of the potential importance of fenofibrate in our armamentarium of treatments for this condition (diabetic retinopathy).    http://content.nejm.org/cgi/content/full/NEJMe1005667 

Unlike the macrovascular benefits of fenoofibrate seen in the study seen only in the patiets with high TG and low HDL-C, the eye benefit was not related to baseline lipids

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