DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2020.v08i03.043

Pages: 1028-1031

Background: Vision is a means of communication of man with the external world. The impact of visual loss due to various ocular morbidities has profound implications for the person affected and the society as a whole. Diabetes has become one of the world’s most important public health problems & WHO indicate that 19% of world’s diabetic population lives in India. Diabetes related microvascular complications cause visual disability even in younger age group individuals. Aim: To estimate the magnitude of Glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy in diabetic patients in our institution. To create awareness about avoidable blindness in diabetic patients. To enlighten and thereby motivate the patient for further evaluation and follow up. Materials and methods: The study is a hospital- based, non- interventional, cross-sectional study. The ocular disorders are evaluated in 500 consecutive diabetic patients attending ophthalmology outpatient department of Kanyakumari medical college hospital. Estimation of visual acuity, slit lamp examination, intraocular pressure, retinoscopy & fundus examination, visual field analysis, gonioscopy are done to detail the defective vision. Result: analysis Data is analysed using SPSS. The common manifestations are cataract- 346 (69%), diabetic retinopathy- 94 patients (18.8%), glaucoma– 34 (6.8%). Patients with cataract are well managed by cataract extraction techniques. Prime importance is to create awareness and also diagnose the early changes of retinopathy and glaucoma. Treatment of glaucoma if instituted early will go a long way in preventing avoidable blindness Therefore periodic visual screening along with control of hyperglycemia and associated risk factors is needed to ensure good quality of vision.