Background: To describe the frequency of diabetic retinopathy (DR) and its associated variables in Brazilian Xavante Indians.
Methods: A population-based survey carried out in two Xavante Reservations between 2008 and 2012, included 948 Indians aged 20 years or more, identified 246 individuals with type 2 diabetes. A non-probabilistic cluster sample of 140 diabetic individuals were submitted to ophthalmologic examination.