Impact of Duration and Control of Diabetes Mellitus on Anterior Segment Parameters in Indian Eyes

Abstract

Introduction: Patients with diabetes mellitus are prone to develop angle closure resulting in glaucoma which is one of the leading causes of blindness. Aim: The aim of the present study was to find the impact of diabetes mellitus on anterior segment parameters in relation to the duration of the disease and glycaemic control. Materials and Methods: A total of 100 consecutive diabetic patients aged 40 years and above were included in the present observational cross sectional study. After obtaining informed consent, complete ocular and medical history was taken, followed by clinical evaluation. Relevant laboratory investigations were carried out. Anterior Chamber Depth (ACD) was measured with IOL Master. Central Corneal Thickness (CCT) and Lens Thickness (LT) were measured using A-Scan Biometry and Ultrasound Pachymetry respectively. SAS 9.2 was used for analysis. Microsoft Word and Excel were used to generate graphs, tables etc. Significance was assessed at 5% level of significance. Results: A total of 100 patient’s eyes were studied. Group analyses in terms of duration of diabetes and glycaemic control were done. Patients with diabetes more than five years duration and poor control of the disease had lower mean ACD (p=0.056 and p<0.0001 respectively), high mean CCT (p=0.0094 and p=0.022 respectively) and high LT (p<0.0001). Conclusion: The present study showed that diabetic patients with more than five years duration and poor glycaemic control had shallower anterior chamber, thicker central cornea and thicker lens than that of those who had diabetes less than five years duration and good glycaemic control.

Keywords

• angle closure
• anterior chamber depth
• central corneal thickness
• glycaemic control
• lens thickness