Abstract
Purpose:
To document changing clinical presentation of retinopathy over a decade, the knowledge-attitude- practice (KAP) of known type 2 diabetics (DM) and vision related quality of life (VR-QOL) of patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) in a tertiary eye care center in the Eastern India.
Methods:
Two hundred- forty patients with known type- 2 diabetes mellitus were evaluated. Evaluation of the consenting patients included status of retinopathy (n= 240), knowledge-attitude- practice -25 (n= 232) and vision related quality of life (n=75). We designed the knowledge-attitude- practice-25 questions after literature review. The National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire (VFQ, including optional items) was validated by Rasch analysis. Both KAP and VFQ were analyzed according to degree of retinopathy, duration of diabetes, and educational qualification.
Results:
Average age was 57.16 + 9.03 years; there were 205 (85.4%) male patients; and 143 (59.6%) patients were less than graduates. The mean duration of DM since diagnosis was 10 + 7.8 months (range 8 months to 30 years); 118 (49.16%) patients had DR. In a decade time, 2001 to 2011, there was a change of retinopathy status at presentation (more often non- proliferative diabetic retinopathy; NPDR). One third of NPDR patients had poor vision and half of them were hypertensive. KAP was better in patients with longer duration of DM and higher education. VFQ score was higher in better seeing patients.
Conclusions:
Patients presenting at earlier stage of retinopathy are probably related to poor vision. Early detection and treatment of DR are likely to preserve better vision and improve VR-QOL. Greater advocacy is required to improve KAP in patients with DM and DR.