Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy Among Diabetic Patients At Ophthalmology Department of Combined Military Hospital, Sialkot

Objective: To determine the frequency of diabetic retinopathy among diabetic patients presenting to the Eye Department of Combined Military Hospital, Sialkot. Study Design: Cross- sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Ophthalmology, Combined Military Hospital Sialkot, Pakistan from Sep 2021 to Jan 2023. Methodology: A total of 500 patients aged 20 to 70 years, with a known diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and undergoing anti-diabetic treatment, were enrolled. Fundus examination was performed on all participants to detect and grade diabetic retinopathy (DR), using International DR severity scale. Statistical analysis was carried out using SPSS version 20. The Chi-square test was applied to assess associations between the presence of DR and various demographic variables. Results: Out of 500 diabetic patients, 297(59.4%) were male and 203(40.6%) females, with a mean age of 56.40±2.75 years. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) was present in 138 patients (27.6%). Among these, 120(24.0%) had non-proliferative DR: mild in 98(19.6%), moderate in 13(2.6%), and severe in 9(1.8%). Proliferative DR and advanced diabetic eye disease were observed in 12(2.4%) and 6(1.2%) patients, respectively. DR was significantly more prevalent among females (p < 0.001), with no significant association with age (p = 0.525). Conclusion: The frequency of diabetic retinopathy in diabetic population was found to be high, which highlights the need for screening programs, to prevent vision-threatening complications.