Introduction: Diabetes mellitus is the most common medical problem in the world. Diabetes causes an array of long-term systemic complications, which have a considerable impact on both the patients and the society because it typically affects individuals in their most productive years Ocular complications of diabetes mellitus are preventable with early detection and treatment. Common ocular complications of diabetes are Retinopathy, cataract, primary open angle glaucoma and extra ocular muscle palsy.

Aim: The objective of the study was to find out the incidence of different ocular complications of diabetes and to determine the ocular complications relating to the duration of diabetes and age of the diabetic patients.

Materials and Methods: 200 diabetic patients were attending ophthalmology outpatient department from the period of September 2015 to August 2017 in Karuna medical college Hospital , Kerala , India was included in this study.

Results: In this study we found that Retinopathy was the most common (60.5%) ocular complication in diabetes followed by cataract (20%) ,primary open angle glaucoma (4.5%) and extra ocular muscle palsy (3.5%).The most notable complication seen with increased duration of diabetes were Non Proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR) (42.5%) and Clinically Significant Macular Edema (CSME) (6%). A non significant association was noted between the age of the diabetic patients and associated ocular complications.

Conclusions: Diabetic Retinopathy was the commonest ocular complication of diabetes , followed by cataract and primary open angle glaucoma and extra ocular muscle palsy. The prevalence of diabetic ocular complications were higher in patients with longer duration of diabetes. There was no significant correlation between age of the diabetic patients and associated ocular complications.

Keywords: Diabetic mellitus, Diabetic Retinopathy, Cataract.

1. Krall LP, Levine R,Barnett D,The history of diabetes.In : Kahn CR,Weir GC,Editors Joslins diabetes mellitus : 13^th edition Philadelphia : Lea and Feibieger: 1994;1-17
2. searo.who.int/india/mediacentre/events/2016/en/
3. Harrison’s principles of internal medicine-19^th edition,volume 2 chapter 417 : page no; 2399
4. Davidson’s principles and practice of medicine-22^nd editions, part 2,chapter 21,page no;800
5. Cavalleranoj: occular manifestations of diabetes mellitus: optum clin 1992: 2: 93-116.
6. Klein R Klein BE,Moss SE,Davis MD, De Mets DL : The Wisconsin Epidemiologic study of Diabetic Retinopathy II prevalence and risk of diabetic retinopathy when age at diagnosis is less than 30 years. Arch Ophthalmol 1984 : 102 : 520-526
7. Klein R Klein BE,Moss SE,Davis MD, Demets DL :The Wisconsin Epidemi-ologic Study of Diabetic Retinopathy III.prevalence and risk of diabetic retinopathy when age at diagnosis is 30 or more years.Arch Ophthalmol 1984 : 102 : 527 : 532
8. Raheja 138 : Diabcare Asia-India study : diabetes care in India-current status.J Assoc,physicians India.2001 jul ; 49 ; 717-22
9. Kalantzis G Angelou M,Rebelakou EP Diabetic Retinopathy : An historical assessment, Hormones 2006 : 5(1) : 71-74.
10. Rollo J.An account of two cases of diabetes mellitus,with remarks as they arose during the progress of the cure. London : C. Dilly : 1797.
11. Bron AJ,Sparrow J,Brown NAP, Harding JJ,The Lens in diabetes eye 1993 : 7 : 260-275.
12. Klein E,Klien R,Moss SE,Prevalence of cataract in a population based on study of persons with diabetes mellitus. Ophthalmology 1985 : 92 : 1191-1196.
13. Armstrong JR,Daily RK,Dobson HL, Girard LJ,The incidence of glaucoma in the general population. An J Ophthalmol 1960 ; 50-55.
14. Rucker CW.Paralysis of third ,fourth and sixth cranial nerves.An Ophthalmol 1958 : 46 : 787-94
15. Rush JA ; Extraoccular muscle palsies in diabetes mellitus. International Ophthalmology clinics.1984 : 24 : 155-159
16. Watanase K et al : characteristics of cranial nerve palsies in diabetic patients. Diabetes Res Clin Pract 10 : 19-27 , 1990.
17. Kawasaki R et al. The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy and other fundus diseases in Japanese population: 2^nd year experience in fungata, Japan,Invest Ophthalmol vis sci 2002 : E Abstract 4382.
18. Klein R,Klein B,Moss S et al : The Wisconsin epidemiologic study of diabetic retinopathy.Arch Ophthalol 1994 : 112 : 1217-1218
19. Yanko L,Goldbourt U,Michaelson c Prevalence and 15-year incidence of retinopathy and associated characteristics in middle aged and elderly diabetic men.Br J Ophthalmol 1983 : 67 : 759-765.
20. Varma et al.Four year incidence and progression of diabetic retinopathy and macular edema : the Los Angeles Latino Eye study.Am J Ophthalmol 2010 may : 149 (5) : 752-6
21. Al-Bdour MD,Al Till MI,Samra KM,Risk factors for diabetic retinopathy among Jordanian diabetics.Middle East J Ophthalmol 2008 : 15 (2) : p 77-80
22. Zander et al.Maculopathy in patients with diabetes mellitus type I and type II : associations with risk factors,Br J Ophthalmol 2000 : 84 : 871-876.

Dr A.M. Raja MS

Door no 5/208-1, MGR Nagar, PAP backside, Chinnampalayam, Pollachi -642003, Tamilnadu, India

Cell – 9551562451, Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. /This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.