Knowledge of Diabetic Eye Disease Among Patients with Diabetes in Kano State: A Clinic-Based Study

Diabetic retinopathy is the leading cause of new blindness among working-age adults globally, and inadequate disease knowledge contributes to late presentation and avoidable vision loss. This study assesses the knowledge of diabetic eye disease among patients attending the diabetes clinic at Murtala Muhammad Specialist Hospital, Kano, North West Nigeria. A cross-sectional descriptive study will be conducted among 350 adult patients with a confirmed diagnosis of type 1 or type 2 diabetes mellitus for at least one year. A structured questionnaire will evaluate awareness of diabetic retinopathy as a complication, knowledge of risk factors, symptoms, and the importance of annual dilated fundus examination. Demographic variables, duration of diabetes, and glycaemic control status documented from clinical records will be included as covariates. Frequency distributions and chi-square analysis will be employed, with logistic regression identifying significant predictors of good knowledge. Existing literature from northern Nigerian hospitals documents very low awareness of diabetic eye disease even among patients who have been diabetic for over ten years. This study generates current evidence for Kano State and highlights the critical gap between diabetes management services and integrated ophthalmology screening. Recommendations will target diabetologists, endocrinologists, and diabetes educators to embed structured ocular health messaging into routine clinic interactions. Establishing referral pathways between diabetes and ophthalmology units at Kano State tertiary hospitals is highlighted as an immediate actionable step toward preventing diabetes-related blindness. Keywords: diabetic retinopathy, knowledge, diabetes clinic, Kano State, screening