Study of Ocular Manifestations of Diabetes Mellitus in Patients Attending a Medical College in a Rural Area

Background: Diabetes mellitus is associated with several ocular complications, including diabetic retinopathy, cataract, and glaucoma, which may contribute to preventable visual impairment. Early identification of these manifestations is essential for appropriate management and preservation of vision. The aim is to describe the spectrum of ocular manifestations among patients with diabetes mellitus attending a medical college in a rural area of Telangana. Material and Methods: A hospital-based observational study was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology, Mediciti Institute of Medical Sciences, Ghanpur, Telangana, from March 2024 to September 2025. Fifty patients with known or newly detected diabetes mellitus were included. Both eyes were examined, yielding 100 eye-level observations. Evaluation included uncorrected and best-corrected visual acuity, slit-lamp examination, intraocular pressure measurement, and dilated fundus examination. Relevant biochemical parameters, including fasting blood glucose, postprandial blood glucose, and HbA1c, were recorded. Data were summarized using descriptive statistics. Results: Of the 50 participants, 40% belonged to the 51–59-year age group and 54% were male. Blurring of vision was the most common presenting complaint (46%), followed by diminution of vision (30%); 16% reported no ocular complaints. The mean duration of diabetes was 5.59 ± 5.35 years, mean fasting blood glucose was 148.62 ± 20.55 mg/dL, mean postprandial blood glucose was 219.26 ± 42.58 mg/dL, and mean HbA1c was 7.78 ± 0.97%. Among the 100 examined eyes, cataract was present in 33 (33%) and diabetic retinopathy in 23 (23%). Cortical cataract was the most frequent cataract type (42.42%), followed by posterior subcapsular cataract (27.27%). Mild non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy was observed in 10% of eyes, moderate non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy in 9%, severe non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy in 2%, and proliferative diabetic retinopathy in 2%. Glaucoma was documented in 2% of eyes. Following best correction, 43% of eyes achieved a visual acuity of 6/6. Conclusion: Cataract and diabetic retinopathy constituted important ocular findings among patients with diabetes mellitus attending this rural medical college. The identification of ocular abnormalities, including among patients without presenting ocular complaints, highlights the importance of comprehensive ophthalmic examination and timely referral as integral components of diabetes care.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus, ocular manifestations, diabetic retinopathy, cataract, glaucoma, visual acuity, rural India.