Bharathi Narasimhamurthy1, Sujatha Rathod B. L2, Hemanth Kumar Kamalakannan3
AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
To create awareness about the Diabetes and Diabetic Retinopathy (to reduce the Morbidity and Mortality), to assess the Risk Factors associated with Diabetics impacting the Diabetic Retinopathy, to estimate the Prevalence of Diabetic Retinopathy among the rural diabetics of Ramanagara and Chikkaballapura districts of Karnataka, India.
METHODS
It is a Community Based Non Randomized Prospective Study for period of 18 months from October 2013 to May 2015. All diabetics from five taluks of Chikkaballapura and four taluks of Ramanagara were examined on predetermined date and time at taluk hospitals. Detailed history, detailed ocular examination, with height, weight, blood pressure, Fasting Blood Sugar were recorded in a proforma with a structured questionnaire on awareness of Diabetes and Diabetic Retinopathy. Diabetic Retinopathy was clinically graded according to Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) classifications.
RESULTS
655 patients were examined with male preponderance and prevalence of DR was found to be 20.46% (134) in Rural Diabetic Population belonging to Ramanagara and Chikkaballapura districts, out of which 79.13% (106) was NPDR and 20.86% was PDR.
The prevalence of DR increases with FBS level >140 md/dl, with increase in Duration in diabetes, with Insulin Usage with Hypertension, with increase in BMI >25, and in Smoker’s. The awareness of DR among Rural Diabetics was found to be 38.7% (250), with female’s having better awareness level. The awareness among rural diabetics for Annual Retinal Examination was found to be 18.6% (119), with female’s having better awareness level.
CONCLUSION
As Diabetic Retinopathy is becoming an important cause for visual disability in India. Considering the large burden of DR in Rural Population with Rural communities having limited access to medical services. Preventive measures have to be taken by screening programmes in rural population to identify DR at the earliest, to modify the course of the disease by timely interventions and management and to create awareness among the rural diabetics for regular eye check-ups and amongst health professionals about timely referral for DR evaluation, to reduce the burden of visual loss due to Diabetic Retinopathy.
