Frequency of ophthalmic complications on 140 cases of type II diabetes mellitus, babol, Iran

Abstract EN

Background : Diabetes mellitus (DM) has several ophthalmic complications and retinopathy is the most common of them. Objectives : The aim of this study was to determine frequency of ophthalmic complications in diabetes mellitus.

Materials and Methods : This descriptive study was performed on 140 type II diabetic patients in Shahid Beheshti Hospital during 2007-2008. All patients were assessed by questionnaire for age, gender, duration of disease, fasting blood sugar ( FBS ) ,hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure ( BP ), method of diabetic control, and examined by observation, slit lamp, and tonometer for detection of cataract, glaucoma, ophthalmic neuropathy.

Retina observed by indirect ophthalmoscop, and lens +90 for detection of retinopathy and maculapathy.

Data were recorded and analyzed.

Results : Fourty five (32.1 %) males, 95 (67.9) females with the mean age 53.49 9.72 years were evaluated.

Mean duration of disease was 8.88 6.06 year and 71.1 % of them had HbA1c over 7 %, 6 (4.3 %) had ophthalmic neuropathy, 1 case ptosis and 1 case with rubeosis were noticed.

Retinopathy was seen in 51 (36.42 %) patients which most of them were non proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) (29.2 %).

Maculopathy was seen in 35 (25 %), patients with clinical significant macular edema (CSME) to be the most (23.6 %).

There was a significant difference in FBS levels between diabetic retinopathy and no diabetic retinopathy groups (P = 0.042).

The difference was also significant when HbA1c levels were compared between the two groups (P = 0.003).

Conclusions : The results show that higher FBS and HbA1c > 7 % levels are associated with ocular retinopathy.