gms | German Medical Science

Purpose: The knowledge of diabetic patients about diabetic retinopathy (DR), DR prophylaxis and therapy, as well as their experience with retinopathy screening examinations are barely examined. For the improvement of the ophthalmologic care of diabetics as well as for the success of DR-prophylaxis and screening, these are important points. Therefore the “Initiativgruppe Früherkennung diabetischer Augenerkrankungen” (IFDA) initiated a patient interrogation.

Methods: Questionnaire in offices of general practitioners in the city of Münster. The questions concerned anamnesis of diabetes, knowledge of DR and source of informations, estimation of personal risk of DR and experiences with ophthalmologic screening examinations.

Results: 315 participant diabetics of 18 general practitioner offices in Münster (>85% type2 DM; Ø67ys.; 68%<10ys. diabetes duration; 12.9% dagnosis of DR) 65% felt well informed about DR. Only 44% knew, that examination of retina is important in DR-Screening. Therapeutic options against DR were known in ~50%. >70% were aware of the role of glycemic control in DR-prophylaxis, whereas the importance of bp was not known in >40%. 23% did not know the HBA1c-value. Over 90% estimated screening of DR to be important and ~ 2/3 were afraid of DR. Performance of screening examination and medical informations by the opthalmologist were well appreciated in >80%. 26% mentioned pupil dilatation as very distracting.

Conclusion: Diabetics in general practioner offices in Münster showed a good awareness of the riscs of DR. Most of them reported on mostly positive experiences with ophthalmologic DR screening examination. There was a lack of information concerning prophylaxis and details of dr-disease, as well as on therapeutic options. Suitable information campaigns appear to be indicated. The information demand all over germany seems to be even more distinct, because “non-compliant” diabetics and rural areas were not included in this questionnaire.