Findings published in International Ophthalmology showed a strong association between diabetic retinopathy and stroke among older patients. Researchers assessed the correlation between diabetic retinopathy and stroke in a cohort of 1,948 individuals aged 40 and older. Rigorous sensitivity assessments were conducted through multiple interpolation techniques to ensure data robustness. Subsequent analyses included subgroup examinations, with further exploration via mediation studies to uncover potential links between the two conditions. According to the researchers, there was a significant correlation between diabetic retinopathy and stroke, particularly among patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy. Despite covariate adjustments, significant stroke risk differences persist between patients with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy and those with proliferative diabetic retinopathy, according to the study findings. Subgroup analysis results showed diabetic retinopathy has a distinct risk profile compared with groups without diabetic retinopathy (OR,1.76; 95% CI, 1.15–2.64). Mediation research identified the frailty index and hypertension as key intermediaries in the diabetic retinopathy-stroke connection.