[Diabetic retinopathy. Interpretation of medical terms by patients]

This study evaluates how diabetic patients understand the meaning of 8 medical terms related to retinopathy. Divided into 4 groups, 142 persons, were questioned at the end of a consultation with their ophthalmologist. Groups 1, 2 and 3 were diabetic patients; 1, without retinopathy, 2, with pre-proliferative retinopathy, 3, treated with laser. Group 4 included non-diabetic controls. The results show only one third of correct answers. Results illustrate a big diversity in understanding according to the terms which, nevertheless, were currently used by the doctors during their ophthalmological consultation. Sociodemographic variables did not have any effect on the understanding of terms dealing with diabetic retinopathy. We only observed a positive correlation between knowledge of patients and laser treatment. On analysing the contents of the patients' definitions, we discovered an important variety of different conceptions of the retinal disease. By not verifying patients' understanding of medical terms, both the physician and patient have no doubts as to their competence to understand them. This failure could have severe consequences not only at the level of prevention but also concerning the early treatment of diabetic retinopathy.