Diabetic patients who were under the care of ophthalmologists, endocrinologists, and/or primary care physicians were administered a questionnaire in order to assess their awareness of diabetes and its ocular complications.
A total of 437 patients (51.8% female and 48.2% male) with a mean age of 55.2 卤 11.9 were included in the study. Of the 437 patients, 31.8% had not been educated about diabetes, 88.1% were aware that diabetes can affect the eyes, and 39.8% thought that diabetics with good glycaemic control might suffer from DR. While 86.7% thought that early diagnosis was possible in DR, 77.3% previously had eye examinations, and 41.9% stated that annual eye examinations were necessary for diabetics. An educational level of middle school or higher, duration of DM longer than 5 years, previous DM education, and recruitment from the university (ophthalmology department and endocrinology department) were associated with better awareness of DR. The independent factors associated with visiting an ophthalmologist on a regular basis were DM education, DM duration, and site of recruitment.
Although most of the patients know that DM affects the eye, there is a lack of appropriate knowledge and behavior about the management of DR. The importance of better control of DM and regular eye examination in the prevention of DR should be emphasized.