The association between diabetes and cataract among 42,469 community-dwelling adults in six low- and middle-income countries

2018

Background: Cataract is a major cause of visual impairment in people with diabetes, yet a paucity of data is available in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) on this comorbidity. Thus we assessed the association between diabetes and cataract in 6 LMICs. Methods: Cross-sectional, community-based data from the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health (SAGE) was analyzed (n = 42,469 aged ≥18 years). Five years information on self-reported diagnosis of cataract was collected. Three definitions for cataract were used: (a) Self-reported diagnosis and/or past 12-month symptoms; (b) Solely self-reported diagnosis; and (c) Surgical treatment for cataract in the past five years. Diabetes was base…