Prevalence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy in a rural population of South India

The purpose of this study is to study the prevalence and associated risk factors of diabetic retinopathy (DR) in type 2 diabetics in a rural setup by means of outreach screening camps. A total of 1270 diabetic patients were enrolled into the study from outreach screening camps conducted in rural areas of Kolar district by Sri Devaraj Urs Medical College attached to Sri Devaraj Urs Academy of Higher Education and Research, Kolar, Karnataka. Detailed history with reference to age, duration of diabetes, hypertension, smoking and alcohol consumption was taken. Detailed ocular examination was done. Prevalence and associated risk factors were noted. Among the 1270 diabetic patients who were screened, 235 (18.5 %) patients had evidence of diabetic retinopathy. This included 167 (71.1 %) patients with mild to moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), 41 (17.4 %) patients with severe NPDR, 19 (8.1 %) patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) and 60 (4.7 %) patients with maculopathy. The independent risk factors of DR which were statistically significant were older age (76.6 %), longer duration of diabetes (54.5 %), alcohol consumption (6.4 %), family history of diabetes (43 %) and insulin intake (27.7 %). Diabetes and its related complications are no longer restricted to the urban and the rich, with studies proving that prevalence rates are almost equivalent to urban population; strategies for prevention, early diagnosis and treatment need to be planned and implemented at the earliest if the burden of diabetic blindness is to be tackled effectively.