Table 1.

Summary of the data that differed significantly between those patients whose current appointment was the first attendance for diabetic eye examination and those who reported to attending diabetic eye examination previously

Variable/question	Parameters explored	Response category	No. of patients	% of overall total	Visit for diabetic eye examination		P value
					Had visited previously (n=81)	Visiting for the first time (n=82)
Fundus examination:	Clinical	STDR	130	79.8	75 (92.6%)	55 (67.1%)	<0.001*
Retinopathy severity		NSTDR	33	20.2	6 (7.4%)	27 (32.9%)
How long had you had diabetes?	Diabetic duration	>10 years	90	55.2	53 (65.4%)	37 (45.1%)	0.01*
		≤10 years	73	44.8	28 (34.6%)	45 (54.9%)
Can diabetes affect eyes?	Knowledge	Yes	122	74.8	69 (85.2%)	53 (64.6%)	0.004*
		No/not sure	41	25.2	12 (14.2%)	29 (35.4%)
Does diabetes restrict your everyday activities?	Awareness	Yes	67	41.1	40 (49.4%)	27 (32.9%)	0.04*
		No/not sure	96	58.9	41 (50.6%)	55 (67.1%)
How often last year you had to go hospital for uncontrolled blood sugar?	Diabetic control	≥1–10 times	100	61.3	58 (71.6%)	42 (51.2%)	0.01*
		0 times	63	38.7	23 (28.4%)	40 (48.8%)

*significant p values obtained by using χ² (Fisher’s exact) test.

NSTDR, non-sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy; STDR, sight-threatening diabetic retinopathy.