Diabetes and Cataract Types in Libyan Patients: A Comparative Analysis

Senile Cataract is still one of the biggest causes of preventable blindness despite technological development in diagnosis and surgical procedures of cataract, and it is influenced by systemic diseases such as DM type 2. The present study aimed to assess the association of demographic characteristics & types of senile cataract among type 2 diabetic Libyan individuals & non-diabetics about diabetes status in Albayda, Libya. This cross-sectional, comparative, hospital-based study was carried out at the ophthalmology department, Albayda Medical Center, Al-Bayda city, Libya, from January 2024 to December 2024. 344 patients were scheduled for cataract surgery, full ocular examination done for all patients including (best corrected visual acuity (BCVA). Intraocular pressure (IOP), slit lamp examination& fundus examination). Data was analyzed using SPSS 20, and was presented as frequencies & percentages. The P-values < 0.05 were considered significant. Mixed cataracts were the most common type in both diabetic (79%) and non-diabetic (77.1%) patients; the association between cataract morphology and DR stages was not statistically significant. A significant gender difference was observed, with female predominance among diabetic cataract patients (63.3%, P < 0.05), while age distribution was similar across groups. This study demonstrated that diabetic patients, particularly women, represented a significant prevalence of mixed cataracts regardless of diabetic status. These results underscore the need for earlier eye screening in the Albayda population, particularly for diabetic females, and longitudinal studies to better identify diabetes-associated cataract progression.