Corneal epithelial fragility in diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE

To assess corneal epithelial fragility in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and its association with retinopathy.

DESIGN

Survey.

SETTING

University-affiliated hospital in Chandigarh, India.

SUBJECTS

Seventy patients with NIDDM selected at random and 35 age-matched healthy control subjects recruited from hospital staff and their relatives.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE

Corneal epithelial fragility, as measured with an esthesiometer.

RESULTS

Mean corneal epithelial fragility values were significantly higher for the diabetic subjects without retinopathy than for the control subjects (p < 0.05). The mean epithelial fragility values for the eyes with diabetic proliferative retinopathy and those with nonproliferative retinopathy were significantly higher (by 84% and 41% respectively) than the mean value for the diabetic subjects without retinopathy (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in mean epithelial fragility values between the proliferative and nonproliferative retinopathy groups.

CONCLUSIONS

Eyes with diabetic retinopathy demonstrate increased corneal epithelial fragility.