Ocular Health Status of Diabetes Mellitus Patients in Uyo, South- South Nigeria

Background: Diabetes mellitus is one of the systemic diseases with serious ocular complications. Ocular complications from diabetes mellitus could result from the microangiopathy and changes in the lens largely from poor gylcaemic control. Ocular complications also depend on duration of diabetes and presence or absence of other co-morbid conditions like hypertension. Since majority of the complications occur without prior symptoms, there is need for improved level of awareness in the community. This can only occur from a background of knowledge, hence this study. Materials and method: Interviewer administered questionnaire was administered to 218 consenting diabetic patients who were previously diagnosed or diagnosed in the eye clinic between January 2009 and December 2010. Ocular examination was carried out by the investigator. Result so obtained was analysed using SPSS17.0 statistical package. Result obtained presented as simple tables Results: Of the 218 diabetic patients examined, cataract was the commonest anterior segment finding (56.4%), while non proliferative diabetic retinopathy was commonest posterior segment finding (31%).glaucomatous disc cupping was seen in (11.4%). Conclusion: Diabetic eye complications are a public health problem hence the need for improved level of awareness and development of diabetic screening programmes in our community.