Prevalence and independent predictors of refractive error among adults with diabetes in Addis Ababa: a multicentre hospital-based cross-sectional study

Objective This study aimed to assess the prevalence and independent predictors of refractive error among adults with diabetes in Addis Ababa, Central Ethiopia. Design A multicentre hospital-based cross-sectional study was conducted using a systematic random sampling method. Setting This study was conducted at public referral hospitals’ diabetic care clinics of Addis Ababa, Central Ethiopia from 13 May to 17 August 2025. Participants The study included 391 adult patients with diabetes who met the inclusion criteria. Main outcome measures Data were collected using face-to-face interviews completed by an interviewer, ophthalmic examinations and reviewed medical records. Results In this study, 391 participants (a response rate of 92.4%) participated. The median age of the participants was 54 years IQR (46–62). The prevalence of refractive error was 55.7% (95% CI 50.7 to 60.7). Older age, female sex, longer diabetes duration, poor glycaemic control, hypertension, diabetic retinopathy and cataract were positively associated with refractive error. Conclusion This study found a high prevalence of refractive error among patients with diabetes in Central Ethiopia. Older age, female sex, longer diabetes duration, poor glycaemic control (assessed by both fasting blood glucose and haemoglobin A1c), hypertension, diabetic retinopathy and cataract were significantly associated with refractive error.