Visual impairment and associated risk factors in patients with diabetes mellitus in Tavush and Armavir provinces of Armenia

Background: Visual impairment (VI) and blindness remain serious public health problems among patients with diabetes. This study assessed the prevalence of VI and its associated risk factors in individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) in Armenia. Methods: This cross-sectional study recruited 1287 people with DM. All participants underwent comprehensive ophthalmic examination and responded to a structured questionnaire on sociodemographic and health characteristics, health-seeking behavior, and ocular health. The presence of eye diseases and VI was defined based on the International Classification of Diseases-11. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression were used to address the study objectives. Results: The mean age of participants was 61.5 (SD = 9.6) ranging from 19.4 to 99.8 years. The mean duration of diabetes was 7.4 years. The majority of participants (70.5%) were women. The prevalence of VI and blindness was 12.1% and 0.9%, respectively. Overall, 22.4% of participants had diabetic retinopathy. In the adjusted analysis, advanced age (OR = 1.08; 95%CI: 1.06–1.11), higher education (OR = 0.37; 95%CI: 0.19–0.74), diabetes duration (OR = 1.05; 95%CI: 1.02–1.08), the presence of diabetic retinopathy (OR = 3.61; 95%CI: 2.38–5.46), age-related macular degeneration (OR = 1.88; 95%CI: 1.15–3.05), cataract (OR = 2.45; 95%CI: 1.66–3.63), and glaucoma (OR = 2.32; 95%CI: 1.25–4.30) were associated with VI. Conclusion: The findings highlight the importance and need for regular eye screening and diabetes prevention programs in the country. Continuous educational programs on diabetes self-management among patients with DM can reduce complications of diabetes including vision loss due to diabetes.