Diabetes linked to 2-3-fold higher risk for cataract in India

Published On 2018-12-24 13:55 GMT   |   Update On 2018-12-24 13:55 GMT

Managing health can be a tedious task for diabetic people. It is a known fact that people with diabetes are at higher risk for eye issues than those without the disease. In lieu of this, there is a need for such people to pay special attention to their eyes. Now, a new study has suggested a strong association between diabetes and cataract in low- and middle-income countries.


The first study to investigate the association of diabetes and cataract using representative data from LMICs, published in the Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice has shown that people with diabetes are at 2-3 times higher odds for developing cataract in LMICs.


Also Read: Diabetics twice more prone to develop cataract

While there are numerous health issues that India is battling with, diabetes is one of the most worrying. The number of Indians with diabetes will soar to 123 million by 2040, according to The International Diabetes Federation. Currently, 5% of the Indian population suffers from diabetes.





Damiano Pizzo, Operational Research Unit, Doctors with Africa, Mozambique, and colleagues analyzed cross-sectional, community-based data from the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) to evaluate the association between diabetes and cataract in 6 LMICs. The analytical sample consisted of 42,469 adults (China 14,811; Ghana 5108; India 11,230; Mexico 2742; Russia 4355; South Africa 4223) aged ≥18 years.



Also Read: Cataract Rates Continue to Increase, Remains Leading Global Cause of Blindness



Key Findings:



  • Overall, the prevalence of diabetes was 3.1% and that of cataract were 13.3%, 4.4%, and 1.7% for self-reported diagnosis and/or symptoms; solely self-reported diagnosis; and surgical treatment, respectively.

  • After adjustment for confounders, the association was significantly elevated for self-reported diagnosis and/or symptoms, solely self-reported diagnosis, surgical treatment.

  • These associations were particularly pronounced among those aged <50 years.



“Considering the strong association between diabetes and cataract in LMICs, it is mandatory to introduce health policies for prevention, early diagnosis, and treatment of diabetes and its complications such as vision diseases.” concluded the authors.



For further reference log on to https://doi.org/10.1016/j.diabres.2018.12.001
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Article Source : With inputs from Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice

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