Vitreous fluorophotometry in adult-onset diabetes mellitus.

We studied the breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier in 83 patients with adult-onset diabetes mellitus, by using vitreous fluorophotometry. The patients were in good stable metabolic control and were receiving injectible insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents. Vitreous fluorophotometry readings were abnormally high but similar in both groups of patients, and no significant differences were found between those with and those without early background diabetic retinopathy. Significantly more patients taking oral agents were hypertensive, and significantly fewer of these patients had background retinopathy.