The Prevalence and Related Factors of Diabetic Retinopathy in Shahroud

Diabetic retinopathy is a dangerous complication of diabetes which can lead to blindness in these patients. The aim of the present study is to investigate and determine the prevalence of diabetic retinopathy in diabetic patients of Diabetes Unit of Shahroud.

This study is carried out on 625 clients of Diabetes Unit of Shahroud, during 10 years (since 1999-2002), patients were examined generally and ophthalmologicaly.

The mean age of clients was 47.9±11.7 years. Mean age of diabetes contraction time was 48.5±53.8 months. In the fundoscopy 442 people were normal and 183 people (29.3%) were suffering from diabetic retinopathy, 23.4% of whom were non- proliferate type And 5.9% were proliferate type. A significant relationship was found between Diabetic retinopathy and age (P<0.05), diabetes type2 (P<0.003), and diabetes contraction time (P<0.003) and fasting blood sugar (P<0.008). However, no significant relationship was observed between gender (p=.062) and the antidiabetes drugs (P=0.58) and diabetic retinopathy

Considering accelerating factors of diabetic retinopathy, and timely diagnosis of diabetes mellitus and controlling the accelerating factors, we can decrease prevalence of this important complication of diabetes mellitus.