Effect of Vitamin D Deficiency on the Progression of Diabetic Retinopathy – A Cross-Sectional Study in a Tertiary Care Hospital

Open Access

Abstract

Background: Diabetic retinopathy is one of the most common microvascular complications of diabetes mellitus and a major cause of visual impairment worldwide. Vitamin D plays an important role in immune regulation, vascular health and anti-inflammatory processes and its deficiency has been suggested to contribute to the development and progression of diabetic complications. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of vitamin D deficiency on the progression of diabetic retinopathy. Methods & Materials: This cross-sectional observational study was conducted in the Department of Ophthalmology and Community Ophthalmology at Bangladesh Medical University and at Bangladesh Eye Hospital over a six-month period from July 2025 to December 2025. Results: The majority of participants were aged 50–59 years (32.5%). Vitamin D deficiency was observed in 42.5% of patients, while 27.5% had insufficient levels and 30.0% had sufficient vitamin D levels. Moderate NPDR was the most common stage of diabetic retinopathy (30%), followed by mild NPDR (25%) and severe NPDR (22.5%). Patients with vitamin D deficiency showed relatively higher proportions of moderate and severe NPDR. However, the association between vitamin D status and severity of diabetic retinopathy was not statistically significant (p = 0.793). Conclusion: Vitamin D deficiency was common among patients with diabetic retinopathy, but no significant association was found between vitamin D status and the severity of diabetic retinopathy. Further large-scale studies are recommended to clarify the potential role of vitamin D in the progression of diabetic retinopathy.