Anemia has been identified as a risk factor for Diabetic Retinopathy, a leading cause of blindness worldwide. However the "at risk" values of hemoglobin in prognosticating diabetic retinopathy has not been defined. This study intends to evaluate the relation between level of hemoglobin and type and severity of diabetic retinopathy among type 2 DM. Methodology: design - descriptive cross sectional study; duration-6months, study setting- tertiary care hospital in North Kerala, study population- type II DM Patients, age> 40years with diabetic retinopathy, sample size-87 cases. Variables - gender, age, duration of disease, stages of Retinopathy, Hb, HbA1C, RFT. p value <0.05 considered as statistically significant. Data analyzed using chi square and one way anova with PASW statistics 18.0.0. Results: Male female ratio=1.2:1. Mean age - 59.83 ± 6.201, mean duration of disease- 11.06± 5.564. Mean Hb was 11.65 ± 1.89. 81.6% of subjects were anemic. 50.6% subjects had PDR and others had NPDR. 69% of patients had maculopathy. Anemia was more prevalent in PDR patients and those with maculopathy . Among NPDR and PDR, anemic had severe disease. The mean Hb values showed a statistically significant relationship with type and severity of retinopathy irrespective of gender and nephropathy. Mean Hb and type of retinopathy had a statistically significant relationship among subjects with poor glycemic control. The lower mean Hb related to male gender and normal HbA1c values among maculopathy cases. Conclusion: Lower hemoglobin values correlated with the severity of diabetic retinopathy and presence of maculopathy independent of gender and presence of nephropathy. Correcting anemia and maintaining a normal Hb value may delay the onset and progression of diabetic retinopathy and maculopathy in type 2 diabetic adults.

Keywords : Diabetic Retinopathy, Nephropathy, Anemia, Maculopathy.