PREVALENCE OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY AMONG INDIVIDUALS SCREENED POSITIVE FOR DIABETES IN FIVE COMMUNITY-BASED EYE CAMPS IN NORTHERN KARACHI, PAKISTAN

Authors

  • Jamal -u- Din
  • Mohammad Babar Qureshi
  • Akhtar Jamal Khan
  • Mohammad Daud Khan
  • Khabir Ahmad

Abstract

Background: Population-based data on the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in Pakistan are
lacking. We determined the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy among individuals screened
positive for diabetes in five community-based eye camps in northern Karachi, Pakistan. Methods:
In summer 2002, five community-based eye camps were set up in Karachi, Pakistan's largest city.
All individuals aged 30 years or older who visited the camps were requested to participate in the
study. Those who agreed were screened for diabetes and those found to have the disease were
referred to an eye hospital for diabetic retinopathy screening. Verbal informed consent was
obtained from all participants at the examination site. Our main outcome measure was diabetic
retinopathy, which was classified as non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), severe NPDR,
and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). Our grading was based on clinical examination.
Results: A total of 912 subjects were screened for diabetes mellitus. Of these, 160(17.5%) had
diabetes- 1.8% had type I diabetes and 15.9% had type II diabetes. One hundred and eight
individuals visited the hospital for ophthalmic examination. Of them, 15.7% had diabetic
retinopathy. The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was higher among individuals with type I
diabetes, with greater duration of diabetes, and among women. The commonest form of diabetic
retinopathy was non-proliferative (76.5% [mild: 35.3 %, moderate: 29.4 %, and severe: 11.8 %]),
followed by maculopathy (17.6 %) and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (5.9 %). Conclusion:
More systematic and population-based research is needed to estimate the prevalence of and
identify risk factors for diabetic retinopathy in Pakistan.
Key words: diabetic retinopathy, prevalence, Karachi, Pakistan

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How to Cite

Din, J. .- u-., Qureshi, M. B., Khan, A. J., Khan, M. D., & Ahmad, K. (2006). PREVALENCE OF DIABETIC RETINOPATHY AMONG INDIVIDUALS SCREENED POSITIVE FOR DIABETES IN FIVE COMMUNITY-BASED EYE CAMPS IN NORTHERN KARACHI, PAKISTAN. Journal of Ayub Medical College Abbottabad, 18(3). Retrieved from https://jamc.ayubmed.edu.pk/index.php/jamc/article/view/4249