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Incidence of blindness and visual impairment in diabetic patients participating in an ophthalmological control and screening programme

Henricsson, Marianne LU ; Tyrberg, Maria LU ; Heijl, Anders LU and Janzon, Lars LU (1996) In Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica 74(6). p.533-538
Abstract

We studied the incidence of blindness and visual impairment in patients who were enrolled in a photographic control- and screening program for diabetic retinopathy. The study cohort consisted of 2133 patients examined between January 1990 and December 1992 and followed until October 1st 1995. The occurrence of blindness (visual acuity ≤ 0.1) and moderate visual impairment (visual acuity 0.2-0.4) was assessed. The Wisconsin scale was used to grade retinopathy. The mean HbA(1c) value for the last 8 years was used to represent long-term glycaemic control. Average follow-up time was 2.9 years. Seven patients were blind and 24 had visual impairment caused by retinopathy at the entry of the study. Six patients went blind due to retinopathy... (More)

We studied the incidence of blindness and visual impairment in patients who were enrolled in a photographic control- and screening program for diabetic retinopathy. The study cohort consisted of 2133 patients examined between January 1990 and December 1992 and followed until October 1st 1995. The occurrence of blindness (visual acuity ≤ 0.1) and moderate visual impairment (visual acuity 0.2-0.4) was assessed. The Wisconsin scale was used to grade retinopathy. The mean HbA(1c) value for the last 8 years was used to represent long-term glycaemic control. Average follow-up time was 2.9 years. Seven patients were blind and 24 had visual impairment caused by retinopathy at the entry of the study. Six patients went blind due to retinopathy during the study period, corresponding to an incidence of 1.0 per 1000 person-years (95% confidence interval 0.4-2.1), and 28 became visually impaired, corresponding to an incidence of 4.6 per 1000 person-years (95% confidence interval 3.0-6.6). Multivariate analysis showed a statistically significant association between blindness/visual impairment and old age, long duration of diabetes, and poor glycaemic control. HbA(1c) values in the highest quartile, i.e ≤ 8.5%, were associated with a 65% increase in risk of blindness/visual impairment (95% confidence interval 14-130%). Retinopathy was the major cause of blindness and visual impairment in patients with diabetes. The study revealed a low incidence of blindness, which is in line with recent reports. Control of hyperglycaemia may be of value for the prevention of visual loss.

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author
; ; and
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Blindness, Diabetic retinopathy, Glycaemic control, Hypertension, Macular oedema, Visual impairment
in
Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica
volume
74
issue
6
pages
6 pages
publisher
Wiley
external identifiers
  • pmid:9017036
  • scopus:0030453824
ISSN
1395-3907
DOI
10.1111/j.1600-0420.1996.tb00729.x
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
616fe97a-e6e8-434e-b00a-836a2c0d3a3b
date added to LUP
2019-06-27 20:49:12
date last changed
2024-05-28 18:49:21
@article{616fe97a-e6e8-434e-b00a-836a2c0d3a3b,
  abstract     = {{<p>We studied the incidence of blindness and visual impairment in patients who were enrolled in a photographic control- and screening program for diabetic retinopathy. The study cohort consisted of 2133 patients examined between January 1990 and December 1992 and followed until October 1st 1995. The occurrence of blindness (visual acuity ≤ 0.1) and moderate visual impairment (visual acuity 0.2-0.4) was assessed. The Wisconsin scale was used to grade retinopathy. The mean HbA(1c) value for the last 8 years was used to represent long-term glycaemic control. Average follow-up time was 2.9 years. Seven patients were blind and 24 had visual impairment caused by retinopathy at the entry of the study. Six patients went blind due to retinopathy during the study period, corresponding to an incidence of 1.0 per 1000 person-years (95% confidence interval 0.4-2.1), and 28 became visually impaired, corresponding to an incidence of 4.6 per 1000 person-years (95% confidence interval 3.0-6.6). Multivariate analysis showed a statistically significant association between blindness/visual impairment and old age, long duration of diabetes, and poor glycaemic control. HbA(1c) values in the highest quartile, i.e ≤ 8.5%, were associated with a 65% increase in risk of blindness/visual impairment (95% confidence interval 14-130%). Retinopathy was the major cause of blindness and visual impairment in patients with diabetes. The study revealed a low incidence of blindness, which is in line with recent reports. Control of hyperglycaemia may be of value for the prevention of visual loss.</p>}},
  author       = {{Henricsson, Marianne and Tyrberg, Maria and Heijl, Anders and Janzon, Lars}},
  issn         = {{1395-3907}},
  keywords     = {{Blindness; Diabetic retinopathy; Glycaemic control; Hypertension; Macular oedema; Visual impairment}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{01}},
  number       = {{6}},
  pages        = {{533--538}},
  publisher    = {{Wiley}},
  series       = {{Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica}},
  title        = {{Incidence of blindness and visual impairment in diabetic patients participating in an ophthalmological control and screening programme}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1600-0420.1996.tb00729.x}},
  doi          = {{10.1111/j.1600-0420.1996.tb00729.x}},
  volume       = {{74}},
  year         = {{1996}},
}