Background: Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic chronic disease that has wide burden globally and in Saudi Arabia. Diabetes mellitus has several long-term complications such as retinopathy, which in turn may lead to blindness. To avoid these complications and adverse events, patients should have enough awareness about this complication. The aim of the current study was to assess the prevalence, knowledge, and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy among diabetic patients.
Methods: This study is a cross-sectional study that was conducted from July to October on diabetic patients attending the ophthalmic clinic in Khayber General Hospital in Madinah region. The data collected were analyzed using the SPS program.
Results: There were 7.5% of patients who had type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM), while 92.5% had type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), diabetic retinopathy was prevalent among 52.3% of patients, the most common stage was mild retinopathy 83.9%, the risk factors associated with retinopathy included age (p-value = 0.01), type of diabetes (p-value = 0.03), and co-morbidities (p-value = 0.002). There were 91.5% of patients who had awareness toward diabetic retinopathy and the most affecting factors to awareness level were age (p-value = 0.02) and gender (p-value = 0.04).
Conclusion: There was a moderate prevalence of diabetic retinopathy as there was a good knowledge toward it among diabetic patients.
Key words: Diabetic Retinopathy, Prevalence, Knowledge, Risk factors, diabetic patients
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