Background: Diabetes mellitus is a serious public health issue globally, and India is no exception to its growing prevalence in many emerging nations. In the near future, India will emerge as the global capital of diabetes.
Objective: The objective of this study is to investigate ocular surface changes and ocular surface disorders in patients with diabetes mellitus.
Methods: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted among all known cases of diabetes mellitus aged over 40 years, attending the eye outpatient department and diabetic clinic at Dr. Sushila Tiwari Government Hospital, Haldwani, Nainital.
Results: The mean age of diabetic patients was 60.82\(\pm\)10.23 (41-79) years. The majority of cases were female (59.7%), followed by males (40.3%). The rural population (56%) was more affected by ocular surface disorders in patients with type II diabetes mellitus than the urban population (44%). Homemakers (50.2%) were the largest group, followed by outdoor workers (30.8%), office workers (12%), and factory workers (7%). Itching was present in 22.0%, lacrimation in 54.8%, burning in 66.8%, foreign body sensation in 85.6%, and blurring of vision in 53.2%.
Conclusions: This study establishes a causal relationship between ocular surface disorder and diabetes mellitus.
