[Early detection of diabetic retinopathy in adult-onset diabetes patients].

The frequency of early diabetic retinopathy by using ophthalmoscopy and intravenous fluorescein angiography in adult-onset diabetics with short duration of diabetes was examined, and the findings are presented. The authors studied 103 insulin dependent and non-insulin dependent diabetics ranging in age from 38 to 55 years, mean 47.7 years. The duration of diabetes was up to 10 years, mean 5.3 years. All diabetic patients included in this study underwent a detailed ophthalmoscopic examination and in 71 patients with normal ophthalmoscopic finding intravenous fluorescein angiography was performed. Both methods revealed signs of early diabetic retinopathy in 2/3 (60.2%) of cases; among insulin dependent diabetics in 3/4 (75.5%) of cases and among non-insulin dependent diabetics in 1/2 (51.5%) of cases. Compared with regular ophthalmoscopy, fluorescein angiography doubled the frequency of diagnosis of early diabetic retinopathy. Early detection of diabetic retinopathy enables better evaluation of the disease, early treatment and better diabetic control.