A comparative study of central corneal thickness in patients with diabetes and without diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is becoming increasingly and seriously prevalent lifestyle health problem worldwide. Up to 70% of diabetic patients can develop corneal changes and are also difficult to manage. Several studies were done to find out the morphological changes in cornea in type 2 DM, but the results are highly variable. Central corneal thickness (CCT) is widely considered as a constant parameter, so are measured only once during follow up in our daily clinical practice. Here we study the effect of diabetes over CCT, for a better understanding of the impact of diabetes over CCT.A comparative observational study of one and half years done among 106 diabetes and 106 non diabetic patients between 35 to 75 years old, attending ophthalmology OPD. CCT of both eyes was measured and mean CCT and was compared between diabetic and non-diabetic groups, among different subgroups of diabetic subjects and other parameters.CCT was thicker among diabetic groups (553.4434um) than non-diabetic groups (549.8491) but was not statistically significant according to our study. But there was statistically significant (p value 0.000165) thickening with increasing grades of diabetic retinopathy (DR) (mild DR (535.4524), moderate DR (543) and PDR (591.5)). Our study concludes that DM is associated with thicker cornea; hence CCT values can vary with time in DM. So repeated CCT measurements for corrected IOP values is advised and warranted in DM patients for proper management of IOP.