Causes of Blindness and Severe Low Vision in Diabetic Patients in Chaiyaphum Hospital, A Retrospective Study

Abstract

Background: Diabetic retinopathy is the significant cause of low vision and blindness in diabetic patients and leads to permanent loss of vision. Therefore, studying of the high-risk factors aim at improving diabetic retinopathy treatment protocol and possible blindness reduction.

Objective: To study the causes and factors associated with blindness in diabetic patients

Material and method: A retrospective study that collected the datas of diabetic patients who registered at eye clinic in Chaiyaphum hospital between 1 January 2019 and 31 December 2020. 372 patients were identified as low vision (VA<20/70-10/200) or blind (VA<10/200-no PL) at least one eye. Systemic comorbid disease, duration of DM, laboratory data, ophthalmic examination from medical records were obtained.

Result: A total 372 diabetic patients were included. 615 eyes met the criteria, 372 eyes were in a low vision group and 243 eyes were in blind group. 47 cases (12.63%) were blind in both eyes. The causes of blindness were nonproliferative and proliferative diabetic retinopathy, macular edema, tractional and rhegmatogenous retinal detachment, vitreous hemorrhage and neovascular glaucoma. Blindness was significant associated in tractional retinal detachment (adjust OR=2.67, p-value <0.001) vitreous hemorrhage (adjust OR=1.94, p-value=0.001) optic nerve atrophy (adjust OR=4.53, p-value<0.001) neovascular glaucoma (adjust OR=2.60, p-value<0.001) and macular scar (adjust OR=3.14, p-value=0.001) in the multiple logistic regression analysis.

Conclusion: In this study, the significant causes of severe visual loss were subsequent to complicated diabetic retinopathy. As a result, early treatment, screening and continuous following diabetic retinopathy may prevent and decrease diabetic patients who getting blind.