Prevalence of diabetic macular edema among type II diabetic patients in tele-screening program using OCT and fundus photos in a tertiary hospital, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

PURPOSE: To provide local data on the prevalence and risk factors of diabetic macular edema in the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. METHOD: A cross-sectional cohort study was conducted to screen the prevalence of diabetic macular edema among diabetic patients, with 906 patients randomly selected between May 2023 and September 2023 in a tele-screening program using OCT and fundus photos at the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. RESULTS: In a sample of 906 diabetic patients who participated in a tele-screening program, 38 cases of diabetic macular edema (DME) were diagnosed, resulting in a prevalence of 4.19%. Males and females each composed 50% of the sample. The average age was 61.39 years (SD = 10.114), and 31.6% had diabetes for over 15 years. Most patients had comorbidities, including hypertension (86.8%) and dyslipidemia (89.5%). Diabetic complications were common: neuropathy was present in 23.6%, and nephropathy was present in 21%. Among the 48 eyes assessed, the mean central macular thickness was 315 ± 69 μm. The distribution of diabetic retinopathy severity in 48 eyes included 17 (35%) no retinopathy, 8 (17%) mild NPDR, 15 (31%) moderate NPDR, 7 (15%) severe NPDR, and 1 (2%) PDR. Center-involved DME was found in 45.8% of the eyes, whereas non-center-involved DME was observed in 54.2% of the eyes. CONCLUSION: This study in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, revealed a 4.19% prevalence of diabetic macular edema (DME), emphasizing the importance of regular screening, especially for patients with longstanding diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia.