Introduction: A cataract is opacity of the lens that interferes with vision, and is the most frequent cause of visual impairment. It is always important it identify the risk factors that affect the development and progression of cataract. We have attempted in our study to identify the risk factors and grade of cataract associated with diabetes. Materials and Methods: Demographic details, physical and clinical evaluation was done for 245 patients. Blood pressure was taken and HdA1c levels was measured for all patients with elevated blood sugar levels. The nature of the cataract was categorized such as immature senile cataracts–partially opaque lens and the disc view hazy (IMSC), mature senile cataracts–completely opaque lens with no disc view (MSC) and hyper mature senile cataracts-liquefied cortical matter (HMSC). Results: 72.7% of these patients had diabetes while 66.9% of them had hypertension. The prevalence of cataract was more in patients with diabetes and hypertension rather than those with these risk factors alone. In the patients who had diabetes for less than 5 years, 86.4% of the patients had Immature senile cataracts with partially opaque lens and hazy disc view (IMSC) and 8.8% patients had hyper mature senile cataract with liquefied cortical matter (HMSC). In patients who had diabetes for more than 15 years, 98.1% had IMSC and there were no patients with HMSC. Conclusion: Although diabetes has no influence on the age and the grade of the cataract, there was a considerable association between diabetes and cataract.

Keywords: Cataract; Diabetes; Visual Impairment.