Prevalence, Risk Factors, and Patient Awareness of Diabetic Retinopathy in Saudi Arabia: A Review of the Literature

Overview

Journal Cureus

Specialty Biomedical Engineering

Date 2021 Jan 13

PMID 33437546

Citations 19

Authors

Abdullah Mohammed D Alharbi

Abdullah Masad S Alhazmi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a common disease in Saudi Arabia and globally, with some studies reporting about 30% prevalence among the Saudi population. Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the leading cause of blindness among working-age patients, and it has a prevalence of 34.6% among diabetics worldwide. The objectives of this review were to examine the prevalence of DR in Saudi Arabia, describe the major associated risk factors, and raise awareness about the disease among diabetics. The prevalence of DR in Saudi Arabia has risen substantially in recent decades. Significant risk factors associated with DR include older age, longer duration of diabetes, poor glycemic control, and hypertension. Awareness and education about diabetes are associated with better outcomes and fewer complications.

Citing Articles

Quantitative Analysis of Early Retinal Changes and OCT Parameters in Diabetic Subjects with and Without Retinopathy.

Aldakhil S, Challa N, Alhoshan S, Abohaimed F, Alnasser B, Almuhawas H Diagnostics (Basel). 2025; 15(4).

PMID: 40002602 PMC: 11854782. DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics15040451.

Career choice of Saudi medical students: opting for ophthalmology residency programs - perceptions and sociodemographic influencing factors - a cross-sectional study in Northern Saudi Arabia.

Almulhim A, Thirunavukkarasu A, Alanazi B, Alfaleh A, Alreshidi S, Almusib R BMC Med Educ. 2024; 24(1):1453.

PMID: 39695674 PMC: 11653905. DOI: 10.1186/s12909-024-06496-7.

Perceptions and Misconceptions About Eye Disease Treatment: A Cross-Sectional Study From Jazan, Saudi Arabia.

Alhazmi E, Mobarki O, Mojiri M, Najmi W, Ayoub R, Al-Ghamdi H Cureus. 2024; 16(10):e71218.

PMID: 39525254 PMC: 11549950. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.71218.

Factors Affecting the Awareness of Diabetic Retinopathy: An Observational Cross-Sectional Study.

Ghanma R, Al-Asad R, Mohammad A, Al Qararah M, Bani Issa A Cureus. 2024; 16(4):e59020.

PMID: 38800213 PMC: 11127756. DOI: 10.7759/cureus.59020.

Diabetic retinopathy: Knowledge, awareness, and practices in primary-care centers in the Kingdom of Bahrain.

Almohsen M, Khella M, Alfayez F J Family Med Prim Care. 2024; 13(3):964-970.

PMID: 38736829 PMC: 11086772. DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_1398_23.

References

Wilkinson C, Ferris 3rd F, Klein R, Lee P, Agardh C, Davis M . Proposed international clinical diabetic retinopathy and diabetic macular edema disease severity scales. Ophthalmology. 2003; 110(9):1677-82. DOI: 10.1016/S0161-6420(03)00475-5. View

Hajar S, Al Hazmi A, Wasli M, Mousa A, Rabiu M . Prevalence and causes of blindness and diabetic retinopathy in Southern Saudi Arabia. Saudi Med J. 2015; 36(4):449-55. PMC: 4404479. DOI: 10.15537/smj.2015.4.10371. View

Wang S, Tikellis G, Wong N, Wong T, Wang J . Lack of knowledge of glycosylated hemoglobin in patients with diabetic retinopathy. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2008; 81(1):e15-7. DOI: 10.1016/j.diabres.2008.03.011. View

Ibrahim O, Foster A, Oluleye T . BARRIERS TO AN EFFECTIVE DIABETIC RETINOPATHY SERVICE IN IBADAN, NIGERIA (SUB -SAHARAN AFRICA) - A PILOT QUALITATIVE STUDY. Ann Ib Postgrad Med. 2016; 13(1):36-43. PMC: 4715371. View

Alghamdi H . Causes of irreversible unilateral or bilateral blindness in the Al Baha region of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi J Ophthalmol. 2017; 30(3):189-193. PMC: 5299113. DOI: 10.1016/j.sjopt.2016.06.001. View

Magliah S, Bardisi W, Al Attah M, Khorsheed M . The prevalence and risk factors of diabetic retinopathy in selected primary care centers during the 3-year screening intervals. J Family Med Prim Care. 2019; 7(5):975-981. PMC: 6259536. DOI: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_85_18. View

Fatani H, Mira S . Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in rural Saudi Arabia. Diabetes Care. 1987; 10(2):180-3. DOI: 10.2337/diacare.10.2.180. View

Khan A, Wiseberg J, Lateef Z, Khan S . Prevalence and determinants of diabetic retinopathy in Al hasa region of saudi arabia: primary health care centre based cross-sectional survey, 2007-2009. Middle East Afr J Ophthalmol. 2010; 17(3):257-63. PMC: 2934719. DOI: 10.4103/0974-9233.65502. View

Al-Rubeaan K, Abu El-Asrar A, Youssef A, Subhani S, Ahmad N, Al-Sharqawi A . Diabetic retinopathy and its risk factors in a society with a type 2 diabetes epidemic: a Saudi National Diabetes Registry-based study. Acta Ophthalmol. 2014; 93(2):e140-7. DOI: 10.1111/aos.12532. View

10.

. UK Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS). VIII. Study design, progress and performance. Diabetologia. 1991; 34(12):877-90. View

11.

Alqurashi K, Aljabri K, Bokhari S . Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in a Saudi community. Ann Saudi Med. 2011; 31(1):19-23. PMC: 3101719. DOI: 10.4103/0256-4947.75773. View

12.

Naeem Z . Burden of Diabetes Mellitus in Saudi Arabia. Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2015; 9(3):V-VI. PMC: 4633187. DOI: 10.12816/0024690. View

13.

Norris S, Lau J, Smith S, Schmid C, Engelgau M . Self-management education for adults with type 2 diabetes: a meta-analysis of the effect on glycemic control. Diabetes Care. 2002; 25(7):1159-71. DOI: 10.2337/diacare.25.7.1159. View

14.

Alotaibi A . A Retrospective Study of Causes of Low Vision in Saud Arabia, A Case of Eye World Medical Complex in Riyadh. Glob J Health Sci. 2015; 8(5):305-10. PMC: 4877228. DOI: 10.5539/gjhs.v8n5p205. View

15.

Al-Nuaim A . Prevalence of glucose intolerance in urban and rural communities in Saudi Arabia. Diabet Med. 1997; 14(7):595-602. DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1096-9136(199707)14:7<595::AID-DIA377>3.0.CO;2-C. View

16.

Ahmed R, Khalil S, Al-Qahtani M . Diabetic retinopathy and the associated risk factors in diabetes type 2 patients in Abha, Saudi Arabia. J Family Community Med. 2016; 23(1):18-24. PMC: 4745197. DOI: 10.4103/2230-8229.172225. View

17.

Alghadyan A . Diabetic retinopathy - An update. Saudi J Ophthalmol. 2013; 25(2):99-111. PMC: 3729572. DOI: 10.1016/j.sjopt.2011.01.009. View

18.

Bacchus R, Bell J, Madkour M, Kilshaw B . The prevalence of diabetes mellitus in male Saudi Arabs. Diabetologia. 1982; 23(4):330-2. DOI: 10.1007/BF00253739. View

19.

Fallatah M . Knowledge, Awareness, and Eye Care-Seeking Behavior in Diabetic Retinopathy: A Cross-Sectional Study in Jeddah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ophthalmol Ther. 2018; 7(2):377-385. PMC: 6258583. DOI: 10.1007/s40123-018-0147-5. View

20.

Parrey M, Alswelmi F . Prevalence and causes of visual impairment among Saudi adults. Pak J Med Sci. 2017; 33(1):167-171. PMC: 5368301. DOI: 10.12669/pjms.331.11871. View