Introduction: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a very common chronic condition which has affected almost 382 million people worldwide. Currently, about 62 million people in India are diagnosed with DM, and has the highest number of diabetics in the world.The prevalence of diabetes is predicted to double globally from 171 million in 2000 to 366 million in 2030 with a maximum increase in India. This number is predicted to reach 79.4 million by the year 2030. Development of diabetes related complications are not uncommon and are insidious in onset. These complications are responsible for various co-morbidities which affect the quality of life. Diabetic retinopathy is the main cause of visual impairment and blindness among the people suffering from diabetics. The prevalence of diabetic retinopathy is estimated to be around 33.9% in patients suffering from DM. Visual impairment due to diabetic retinopathy is observed in more than 86% of Type 1 Diabetic patients and 33% of Type 2 Diabetic patients. Over the last 2 decades, diabetic retinopathy has emerged as a common cause of ocular morbidity and blindness in India, moving up from number 17 (1986-1989 WHO-NPCB Survey, Government of India) to number 6 (2001–2002 NPCB national survey) in the list of causes of blindness. In this study we tried to assess the awareness about the various common aspects of Diabetes Mellitus, knowledge about the visual loss in Diabetic retinopathy and the different modalities of treatment available for Diabetic retinopathy among the general practitioners practicing modern medicine (MBBS doctors) and indigenous medicine (BAMS doctors) working in rural areas of North Karnataka . Materials and Methods: Study design: The study was a descriptive cross-sectional survey conducted between October 1, 2016 and December 14, 2017 in rural areas of north karnataka. Institutional approval was obtained from the hospital research and ethics committee before commencement of the study. Study Population:The study respondents were general practitioners (GPs), practicing modern medicine (MBBS doctors) and indigenous medicine (BAMS and BHMS doctors) and working in rural areas of north karnataka. Study Protocol: A total of 179 general practitioners (GPs) participated in the study out of which 49 were BAMS, 72 BHMS and58 MBBS doctors. Informed consent was taken and confidentiality of subjects was maintained. All the participants were given a pre-tested structured questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of two sections A and B. Section A had questions pertaining to the general awareness of DM and section B regarding the knowledge and various treatment modalities available for diabetic retinopathy. Each correct answer was allotted one mark each. The extracted data was analyzed using Microsoft Excel. Results: Over all 179 doctors of various discipline participated in the study, out of which 49 (27%) were practicing Ayurveda, 72 (41%) were practicing Homeopathy and 58 (32%) were practicing Allopathy. Majority i.e., 128 (72%) of the respondents were male and 51 (28%) were female. There were 58 (32%), 44 (25%), 39 (22%) and 38 (21%) respondents in the 31–40 years, 41–50 years, 51 years or older and 21 – 30 years age categories, respectively. Majority 167 (93.29%) were aware that Diabetes Mellitus effects the eye. Conclusion: Diabetic retinopathy remains the main cause of visual impairment and blindness among the people suffering from diabetics. Hence, early detection and intervention helps to reduce the loss of vision due to diabetic retinopathy. Our study found that there is a lot of scope for improvement in knowledge and awareness related to diabetes and diabetic retinopathy among general practitioners. Workshops/CMEs/Guest lectures/Seminars will help them to update their knowledge and is the need of the hour to improve the ocular health outcomes especially in diabetic patients.

Keywords: Diabetes; Diabetic Retinopathy; Blindness.