A prospective study of endothelial cell count in diabetic and non-diabetic patients after cataract surgery

Abstract

Introduction: To assess and compare the changes in endothelial cell count in diabetic and non-diabetic patients after routine phacoemulsi?cation and small incision cataract surgery. Materials and Methods: Total 130 eyes of 130 patients was taken in the study were age and sex matched. Out of which 65 eyes of 65 patients of Type 2 diabetes mellitus and 65 eyes of 65 non-diabetic patients of cataract underwent cataract surgery. Out of which 65 patient for phacoemulsification surgery and 65 patients for small incision cataract surgery were evaluated. In all the patients specular microscopy for the corneal endothelial cell count and central corneal thickness was done pre-operatively. And post operatively at one week, six weeks and 12 weeks was done. The variation in the endothelial size and shape and percentage of hexagonal cells were assessed. A Comparative analysis of endotheial cell count and percentage of endothelial cell loss between two groups was performed. Also there was comparison of endothelial cell loss between phacoemulcification and small incision cataract surgery was done. Results: The mean pre-operative endothelial cell count in the Non-diabetic group was higher than the diabetic group (p Conclusions: In diabetic patients there was higher endothelial cell loss when compared with nondiabetic patients after cataract surgery. The changes were seen even in the presence of good glycemic control. Keywords: Cataract surgery, Diabetes mellitus, Endothelial cell loss.