Assessment of awareness about diabetic retinopathy among diabetic patients in primary health care centers of Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia

Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic condition characterized by chronically elevated blood glucose levels that damages various organs and tissues of the body, including the eyes. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a common complication of DM affecting 24% of diabetic patients who have had the condition for 10-15 years. The objective of this study is to assess the level of public awareness and understanding of DR among diabetic patients.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted among Saudi nationals in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The data was collected using a self-constructed questionnaire and involved a total of 103 confirmed cases of type 2 DM. Participants included Saudi DM patients who visited Primary Health Centre (PHC)between 15 and 80 years of age. Patients who were not of Saudi origin, had congenital eye disease, had experienced prior eye trauma, were known cases of or being treated for other eye diseases like cataract or glaucoma, and had a history of cognitive impairment were excluded from the study. Results: Of the diabetic patients studied, 79.6% (n = 82) were aware that DR was a possible complication of DM. Of these, 16.5% (n = 17) obtained this information from the media while 46.6% (n = 48) were advised by the medics. About 57.3% (n = 59) reported that DM could cause blindness, while 56.9% (n = 58) reported that DM could affect the eye without affecting the vision, requiring treatment. About two-thirds (62.1%, n = 64) had consulted a doctor earlier, with 46.6% (n = 68) of them visiting due to some symptom. The majority (68.0%, n = 70) of the patients did not know of various treatment modalities for DR.Conclusion: This study indicated that the majority (79.6%) of diabetic patients were aware of DR being a possible complication of DM, with only 46.6% of this awareness coming from doctors and 16.5% from the media. However, many patients had limited understanding of the treatment options for DR.