This systematic review aimed to thoroughly examine the prevalence and risk factors linked with diabetic retinopathy (DR) - a severe complication of diabetes mellitus (DM) - among individuals with diabetes in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). A systematic search of published studies was conducted in PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases for studies published between the years 2015-2023. The articles were screened based on well-defined inclusion and exclusion criteria, ensuring that only the most relevant and high-quality studies were included. Additionally, reviewers performed independent data extraction and quality assessment, providing a robust and reliable foundation for the study findings. Thirteen studies satisfied the inclusion criteria, comprising a prospective, and twelve observational cross-sectional studies. Prevalence varied widely across the studies, ranging from 14.9% to 45.2% in individuals with established DM and 3.3%-6.25% in newly diagnosed type 2 DM. Risk factors identified included old age, poor glycemic control, longevity of DM, smoking, gender, overweight and obesity, hypertension, presence of microvascular and macrovascular diabetic complications, type 1 DM, hyperlipidemia, and insulin use. Timely detection and management of these factors, along with regular screening for DR, are imperative to mitigate its burden on visual health and the overall healthcare system. Further research focusing on interventions to address modifiable risk factors and improve DR outcomes in the KSA population is warranted.
Key words: Prevalence, risk factors, diabetic retinopathy, Saudi Arabia, systematic review
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