Background: Diabetes mellitus is one of the systemic diseases with serious ocular complications. Ocular
complications from diabetes mellitus could result from the microangiopathy and changes in the lens largely
from poor gylcaemic control. Ocular complications also depend on duration of diabetes and presence or
absence of other co-morbid conditions like hypertension. Since majority of the complications occur without
prior symptoms, there is need for improved level of awareness in the community. This can only occur from a
background of knowledge, hence this study.
Materials and method: Interviewer administered questionnaire was administered to 218 consenting diabetic
patients who were previously diagnosed or diagnosed in the eye clinic between January 2009 and December
2010. Ocular examination was carried out by the investigator. Result so obtained was analysed using SPSS17.0
statistical package. Result obtained presented as simple tables
Results: Of the 218 diabetic patients examined, cataract was the commonest anterior segment finding (56.4%),
while non proliferative diabetic retinopathy was commonest posterior segment finding (31%).glaucomatous disc
cupping was seen in (11.4%).
Conclusion: Diabetic eye complications are a public health problem hence the need for improved level of
awareness and development of diabetic screening programmes in our community.