Visual dysfunction in type II diabetic patients revealed by a hyperacuity test.

Displacement thresholds for an oscillating bar, which fall into the hyperacuity range, were determined in 21 subjects with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus and 19 age-matched visually normal controls. The diabetic subjects were classed as either having minimal or no retinopathy. Whilst thresholds for the diabetic group were significantly raised above those of the normal group, there were no significant differences in thresholds between the diabetic subgroup with retinopathy and the subgroup without. Greater thresholds tended to be found at higher frequencies of oscillation as the known duration of the diabetes increased.