title: Visual impairment and blindness in type 2 diabetics: Ife-Ijesa diabetic retinopathy study.
abstract: Diabetes and blindness are important health issues globally; we determined the prevalence of blindness, diabetic retinopathy, and other eye diseases in Nigerian-type 2 diabetics. A prospective, cross-sectional study was conducted on consenting type 2 diabetic patients who had scheduled comprehensive eye examination including dilated funduscopy with +78DS. Visual status was graded using the WHO criteria. Approval from Institutional Ethics Committee was obtained. Primary outcome measures were the prevalence and causes of blindness as well as prevalence of diabetic retinopathy. Secondary outcome measures were the presence of other eye diseases. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 13. Two hundred and sixty-six eyes of 133 type 2 diabetic patients aged 22-89 years were studied; 69 (51.9 %) were males while 64 (48.1 %) were females. Five (3.8 %) patients were blind while 27 (20.3 %) were visually impaired. Cataract was the leading cause of blindness (60 %) and visual impairment was found in 59.3 %. Diabetic retinopathy was present in 37 (27.8 %) diabetic patients of which 5 (3.8 %) were proliferative. Diabetic macular edema was present in 31 (23.3 %) patients. Severe visual impairment and blindness were commoner in those with diabetic retinopathy. Refractive error 67 (25.2 %), cataract 63 (23.7 %), and chronic glaucoma 44 (16.5 %) were the most prevalent non-diabetic retinopathy eye diseases. High prevalence of blindness, diabetic retinopathy, and other diseases are seen in type 2 diabetics. Health education, early diagnosis as well as treatment of diabetic retinopathy and other diseases will largely alleviate these ocular morbidities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University/Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, 220003, Nigeria. Uvtoyin2@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: O H
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Onakpoya
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, Faculty of Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Kolawole
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Adeoye
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
authors.forename: B O
authors.initials: BO
authors.lastname: Adegbehingbe
authors.affiliation: Eye Centre, Obafemi Awolowo University and Teaching Hospital, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Laoye
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001766:Blindness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D009887:Ophthalmoscopy; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019987:Persons with Visual Disabilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Blindness; Cataract; Diabetic eye diseases; Diabetic retinopathy; Nigeria