Frequency of Diabetic Retinopathy in Diabetic Patients in Pakistan

Objective: To determine the frequency of diabetic retinopathy and its types in diabetic patients of Pakistan. Study Design: cross sectional study. Place and duration: study was conducted in department of Ophthalmology, Nishtar Hospital Multan from 1st June 2020 to 2nd June 2021 in one-year duration. Methodology: Study was conducted on 300 diabetic patients and presented at the outpatient’s department of hospital. Refraction was done in all patients with the Snellen chart and fundus was examined with slit lamp or fundoscopy method. Main variables of study were diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, and types of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy was further divided into proliferating retinopathy, non-proliferating retinopathy (mild, moderate and sever) according to severity of DR. Results: Out of three hundred patients 65.0% were observed with diabetics’ retinopathy. Prevalence of macular edema in diabetics patients was 13.0%. The diabetic's patients were categories according to retinopathy severity; 28.3% had mild NPDR, 13.0% had moderate NPDR, 11.0% had severe NPDR and 7.7% had PDR. Conclusion: Diabetic retinopathy either proliferative or non-proliferative is highly prevalent in Pakistani population. Early detection and management are necessary to prevent its role in blindness.