Quantitative vitreous fluorophotometry was used to study the alteration of the blood-retinal barrier in 116 patients with diabetes mellitus of adult onset. The patients were in good stable metabolic control on injectable insulin, oral hypoglycaemics, or diet therapy. Vitreous fluorophotometry readings were abnormally high but similar in all three groups and in those with or without early background retinopathy. A higher incidence of systemic hypertension was noted in those patients requiring oral agents compared to those on insulin or diet therapy.