Knowledge and attitudes regarding effect of diabetes mellitus on eyes and community-based screening for diabetes, hypertension, and visual impairment in central India- a community-based cross-sectional study

Background: Ocular complications associated with DM are progressive and rapidly becoming the world’s most significant cause of morbidity and are preventable with early detection and timely treatment. This study was planned to assess knowledge regarding diabetes mellitus and their views and perspectives on diabetes and diabetes related eye diseases and to screen for diabetes, hypertension, and visual impairment in central India.Methods: A cross sectional study was conducted during annual holy celebrations in the metropolitan city of Mumbai. A large cohort underwent habitual visual acuity assessment (HVA), diabetes screening by random finger prick blood sugar, blood pressure screening. A questionnaire survey was administered to every 5th participant who registered for the free screening. All the variables were analysed using descriptive statistics to calculate frequencies, mean, range and chi-square test was used for analytical statistics.Results: A total of 6300 participants were surveyed. More than two third of the study participants (79.5%) know about diabetes and raised blood sugar level causes problem. Around 87.3% had good knowledge about diabetes. Around 42.7% of the study participants never had eye examination in their lifetime. Nearly 40% of participants were screened positive for hypertension and 23.9% had raised blood sugar level. Unfortunately, 6.0% had visual impairment on visual acuity examination.Conclusions: Despite our study shows that majority of the participants had knowledge about diabetes mellitus and importance of eye screening, only half of the people with diabetes mellitus underwent routine eye examination or screening.