Changes in macular sensitivity in long‐term type 1 diabetic patients without diabetic retinopathy after 5 years of follow‐up

Abstract

Aims/Purpose: To compare macular sensitivity measured with microperimetry in patients with Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM1) without signs of diabetic retinopathy (DR) after 5 years of follow‐up.Methods: Twenty‐six eyes from 26 long‐term DM1 patients without DR signs were included. All participants underwent a complete ophthalmic examination including best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), intraocular pressure, fundoscopy, axial length and microperimetry examination using macular integrity assessment (MAIA) microperimeter (Topcon Corporation, Tokyo, Japan). The data wERE compared with the macular sensitivity results obtained 5 years ago. Nonparametric tests were used for the comparison (Mann–Whitney U test).Results: The mean age of the DM1 patients was 43.04 ± 11.03 years and their disease evolution time was 29.69 ± 9.25 years with good glycaemic control (HbA1c = 7.47 ± 0.84%). Regarding sex distribution, 11 eyes were from women (42.3%) and 15 were from men (57.7%). The DM1 patients did not show statistically significant changes in macular sensitivity in any of the macular rings between 2018 and 2023 with p > 0.05. Central macular sensitivity had no significant changes with p = 0.378, and a mean of 27.38 ± 2.55 dB in 2018 versus a mean of 27.77 ± 2.46 dB in 2023. Macular integrity, fixation stability P1 and fixation stability P2 remained unchanged, p = 0.292, p = 0.861 and p = 0.529, respectively, showing no decrease in retinal sensitivity.Conclusions: Long term DM1 patients with no DR lesions show no changes in macular sensitivity after 5 years of follow‐up.