BackgroundDiabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with microvascular complications, such as diabetic retinopathy (DR). DR is one of the main causes of visual loss in individuals aged 20-64 years old. This study aims to investigate the independent associations between the stage of DR and a variety of possible risk factors, including years since DM diagnosis, HbA1c levels, the coexistence of hypertension, age and gender.Findings120 patients were recruited in the Department of Internal Medicine, Veroia General Hospital, Veroia, Greece, and the DR stage was defined by an ophthalmologist. Afterwards, the DR association with the aforementioned factors was examined. Univariate and multivariate analysis (multivariate ordinal logistic regression) was performed. At the univariate analysis, there was a positive association between DR severity and age (Spearman's rho = 0.4869, p < 0.0001), years since DM diagnosis (Spearman's rho = 0.6877, p < 0.0001), HbA1c levels (Spearman's rho = 0.6315, p < 0.0001), history of hypertension (2.47 ± 1.37 vs. 0.50 ± 0.80 for patients without hypertension; p < 0.0001) and male sex (2.56 ± 1.41 vs. 2.05 ± 1.45 for female patients; p = 0.045, MWW). All these factors, except for age, retained their statistical significance at the multivariate ordinal logistic model.ConclusionsYears since DM diagnosis, hypertension, HbA1c levels and male sex are independently associated with severe DR. The effect of age seems to reflect a confounding association.

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Baseline vision-related quality of life in cataract patients presenting for surgery seems affected by inherent sociodemographic and lifestyle parameters, such as gender, educational level, marital status, current working status and exercise. Therefore, clinicians should be aware of the discrepancies that risk factors may confer, and should thus focus on the most vulnerable subgroups.

Background: Many of the common systemic diseases present characteristic changes in the fundus of the eye, but fundoscopy is often performed by an ophthalmologist. Our purpose was to assess the value of fundoscopy for the general practitioners (GPs) regarding the diagnosis and management of the cases which they face in daily practice.Methods: 689 patients were referred by GPs to the outpatient ophthalmology department for fundoscopy during the year 2010. The causes of this referral, the results of ophthalmoscopy and its significance in the final diagnosis were recorded and analyzed.Results: In 22 patients (3.1%), fundoscopy revealed optic disc edema. In 7 patients with head trauma (9.7%), fundoscopy revealed intravitreous haemorrhage and Berlin edema. From the patients with photopsias or floaters, 5 (10.2%) had retinal detachment. Finally, in cases with diabetes mellitus or hypertension, ophthalmoscopy was very important to detect the existence and grade the degree of diabetic or hypertensive retinopathy, if they appeared, and as a result to evaluate the prognosis of the disease.Conclusions: Fundoscopy is fundamental for the GP, as it may help to confirm or exclude the diagnosis of many common diseases. Nevertheless, there are clinical entities where ophthalmoscopy should be performed by an ophthalmologist, in order to be more specific and accurate, and GP should be able to recognise these cases.

The main symptom after computer use in young adults was dry eye. All visual problems associated with the duration of computer use. Artificial tears play an important role in the treatment of ocular discomfort after computer use.