A Clinical Analysis and Referral Rate on Diabetic Retinopathy in Diabetic Patients Referred for Eye Examination at a Tertiary Hospital

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To obtain a recent epidemiological data on diabetics with diabetic retinopathy in a tertiary hospital. METHODS: We reviewed the medical charts of 1041 diabetic patients who visited on eye clinic between 1997 and 2001. We also analyzed the result of first eye examination of 325 patients diagnosed to have diabetic retinopathy. RESULTS: Diabetic retinopathy was diagnosed in 325 patients (31.2%) out of 1041 diabetic patients (41 type I and 1000 Type II patients). Among 325 patients, proliferative retinopathy was diagnosed in 109 patients (10.5%). The longer was the duration of diabetes, the higher was the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy among type II diabetics. Among type I diabetics macular edema was identified in 38.9% (7 eyes/18 eyes) of non-proliferative retinopathy patients, and 90.0% (18 eyes/20 eyes) of proliferative retinopathy patients. Among type II diabetics this prevalence was 35.0% (145 eyes/414eyes) in non-proliferative retinopathy patients, and 73.7% (146 eyes/198 eyes) in proliferative retinopathy patients. Visual acuity tended to be low in diabetics with macular edema. Only 497 patients (47.8%) were those who were referred by their primary doctors. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy was 30~40% among diabetics seen in tertiary hospital, and thus the clinical importance of diabetic retinopathy increased. Education of diabetic patients and deep understanding on diabetic retinopathy by primary doctors are needed in the future.