ABSTRACT

Objective: To determine the prevalence of dry eye disease in type 2 diabetic patients and its correlation with retinopathy

Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology, Chandka Medical College & Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto Medical University Larkana, from 1st April 2021 to 30th September 2021. Consecutive 100 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) who attended outpatient department were included as per inclusion-exclusion criteria.

Results: The patients were mostly female (58%) with a female-to-male ratio of 1.38:1. Most patients (43%) were under 50, followed by 51–60. (34 %). The overall mean age was 54.26 10.06. More than half (63%) of patients had diabetes for up to 5 years. The patients had a 42 percent frequency of DES. Mild, moderate, and severe dry eye were diagnosed in 21%, 16%, and 5% of individuals. Longevity and poor diabetes control exacerbated the disease.

Conclusions: Type 2 DM patients' age, but not their gender, was found to be a significant predictor of DES. Dry eye was found to be more common among diabetics with poor control of their condition. In patients with type 2 diabetes, the age, but not the gender, was substantially linked to DES.

Keywords: Type 2 diabetes, Dry eye disease, Diabetic retinopathy, Meibomian gland dysfunction