Spectrum of eye disorders among diabetes mellitus patients in Gaborone, Botswana

This cross-sectional study was designed to determine the spectrum and prevalence of eye disorders among diabetes mellitus (DM) patients in Gaborone, Botswana. All DM patients who attended Gaborone City Council (GCC) health facilities underwent eye examination at the specialist eye clinic. All of the study participants were interviewed using questionnaires and underwent laboratory investigations. A total of 401 DM patients participated in the study. About 60% never had an eye examination before. Refractive error (29.2%) was the most prevalent followed by cataract (20.2%), retinopathy (9.2%), pterygeum (6.7%), glaucoma (2.5%) and keratopathy (0.7%). The study showed that DM patients are affected by many eye disorders other than diabetic retinopathy and regular eye examination should be part of diabetic care.