The insulin concentration in human ocular fluids.

We measured immunoreactive insulin concentrations in ocular fluids and serum of 19 patients. In rhegmatogenous retinal detachment patients without diabetes mellitus, the serum insulin level was 7 +/- 2 (SE) microunits/ml and the subretinal fluid insulin levels were mostly undetectable. By contrast, in rhegmatogenous retinal detachment patients with diabetes mellitus, serum insulin was 35 +/- 5 microunits/ml and the subretinal fluid always contained low but detectable amojnts of insulin. The data may suggest a small leak of insulin into the subretinal fluid of rhegmatogenous retinal detachment patients with diabetic retinopathy. In vitrectomy patients with diabetes mellitus there was no insulin in the vitreous in eight out of nine cases.