Magnitude and determinants of ocular morbidities among persons with diabetes in a project in Ahmedabad, India.
BACKGROUND
Visual disabilities due to diabetes are on the rise, especially in urban areas of developing countries. Proper health planning will need evidence-based information.


METHODS
We estimated the prevalence and identified the determinants of eye complications among persons with diabetes screened in Ahmedabad, India, during 2007-2008. This was a review of the data from a health institution-based project. Physicians collected information on diabetes, and ophthalmologists examined the patients for visual acuity, diabetic retinopathy (DR), glaucoma, and cataracts. World Health Organization-recommended grading of DR was used. Frequencies, prevalence, and 95% confidence interval (CI) values were calculated.


RESULTS
Of 40,919 persons who we examined for diabetes, 9,246 (66.6%) persons knew that they had diabetes, whereas 4,641 (33.4%) persons were detected with diabetes for the first time. The prevalence of DR, early cataract, and glaucoma among those who knew that they had diabetes was 14.6% (95% CI 13.9-15.3), 44.4% (95% CI 43.4-45.4), and 5.4% (95% CI 4.9-5.9), respectively. The prevalence of DR among persons with diabetes (new and old) was 10.1% (95% CI 9.6-10.6). Although poor vision was positively associated with DR (chi2 = 706), 40% of those with DR had vision better than 20/60. Male sex (odds ratio [OR] = 1.31), longer duration of diabetes (chi2 = 1,808), hypertension (OR = 1.13), good sugar control (OR = 0.09), and nephropathy (OR = 2.16) were the factors associated with DR. Regression analysis suggested that longer duration of diabetes and poor control of diabetes were the predictors of DR.


CONCLUSIONS
The prevalence of DR was low. Long duration of diabetes, poor control of blood sugar, presence of nephropathy, and hypertension were associated with DR. Good vision could mislead about the severity of DR.
Vyas
Usha
U
British Columbia Center for Epidemiologic and International Ophthalmologist, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada .
Khandekar
Rajiv
R
Trivedi
Nitin
N
Desai
Tejas
T
Danayak
Parul
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D002386:Cataract / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000150:complications; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D020022:Genetic Predisposition to Disease; D005901:Glaucoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D055815:Young Adult
D001786:Blood Glucose