Eye Disease in Veterans With Diabetes

  1. James Orcutt, MD12,
  2. Arpenik Avakian, MD2,
  3. Thomas D. Koepsell, MD, MPH345 and
  4. Charles Maynard, PHD35
  1. 1Department of Ophthalmology, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
  2. 2Department of Opthamology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
  3. 3Seattle ERIC, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington
  4. 4Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
  5. 5Department of Health Services, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
  1. Address correspondence and reprint requests to James Orcutt, MD, Department of Ophthalmology, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, 1660 S. Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108. E-mail: jorcutt{at}u.washington.edu

Abstract

OBJECTIVE—To describe the screening, prevalence, and management of eye disease in veterans cared for by the Veterans Affairs (VA) System.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Eye examinations, treatments, and diseases were identified in veterans with diabetes who received care in inpatient and outpatient VA settings during FY1998. Analysis was conducted to characterize the patient population and screened population and to compare them to the total VA patient population with diabetes. Logistic regression was performed to predict eye screening.

RESULTS—Overall 48% of veterans with diabetes had an eye examination in FY1998. One-third of all veterans had an eye condition and 8.6% of veterans had ophthalmic manifestations of diabetes. In addition 11% reported glaucoma and 17.8% reported cataract surgery. Approximately 11,500 (2.7%) veterans were blind.

CONCLUSIONS—Visual impairment is a common complication of diabetes. Half of this population of veterans had a visual examination recorded in VA. The VA is testing a more targeted screening and treatment approach for diabetic eye disease in order to prevent the serious eye complications.

Footnotes

  • Funding for this supplement was provided by The Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center and the VA Cooperative Studies Program.

    A table elsewhere in this issue shows conventional and Système International (SI) units and conversion factors for many substances.

    • Accepted July 25, 2003.
    • Received July 1, 2003.
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  1. doi: 10.2337/diacare.27.suppl_2.B50 Diabetes Care May 2004 vol. 27 no. suppl 2 b50-b53
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