ABSTRACT

Objective: To determine the frequency of undiagnosed retinopathy among patients of diabetesmellitus presenting to the diabetic clinic of a tertiary care hospital.

Study Design: Descriptive/Cross-sectional study

Place and Duration: Department of Medicine, Sharif Medical City Hospital Lahore for duration of six months i.e from 17th December 2018 to 16th June 2019.

Methodology: Total 130 cases of diabetes mellitus with age range from15-60 years were selected. Patients with laser therapy of retina, taking ACE inhibitors and renal failure were excluded. Both eyes of the patient were dilated using tropicamide 1% eye drops. Retina was examined using 90D slit lamp biomicroscopy by consultant ophthalmologist. The presence of retinopathy was noted in the proforma.

Results: Mean age of patients was 40.43±11.04 years. Majority of the patients i.e. 72 (55.38%) were between 41 to 60 years of age. Out of these 130 patients, 75 (57.69%) were male and 55 (42.31%) were females with male to female ratio of 1.4:1. Mean Hb A1c levels were 7.87±1.54. Frequency of undiagnosed retinopathy among patients of diabetes mellitus was found in 40 (30.77%) patients.

Conclusion: This study concluded that the frequency of undiagnosed retinopathyamong patients of diabetes mellitus is relatively high.

Keywords: Diabetes, complications, undiagnosed retinopathy