Prevalence Of Hypertension And Diabetes Mellitus Among People Seeking Cataract Surgery In Rural South India

Objective: To know the prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus among people seeking cataract surgery in the rural population. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Setting: Study was carried out at G.S.L. Medical College & General Hospital, Rajahmundry, Andhra Pradesh, India. Participants: Cases of cataract requiring surgery. Methodology: People were screened for cataract at village level eye camps and an ophthalmology outpatient department. The study group consisted of diagnosed cases of senile cataract, who were admitted to the hospital for surgery. All the cases were screened for hypertension and diabetes mellitus before surgery. Statistical Analysis: Percentages, Z-test, & chi-square test. Results: Out of 1627 cases, 49% were male and 51% were female. The prevalence of hypertension & diabetes mellitus was 20.59% & 5.9% respectively. Among 795 male cases, 13.8% have hypertension, whereas the prevalence of diabetes mellitus was 4.7%. The prevalence of hypertension & diabetes mellitus among 832 female cases was 24.5% and 4.4% respectively. Conclusions: Chronic diseases like hypertension and diabetes are usually present among cataract cases. Early detection and proper control will greatly delay the development and progress of complications.