COMPARATIVE STUDY OF CORNEAL ENDOTHELIAL CELL DENSITY, MORPHOLOGICAL FEATURES AND CENTRAL CORNEAL THICKNESS AMONG DIABETIC AND NON-DIABETIC PATIENTS

Abstract

Introduction:Diabetes can cause a decrease in endothelial cell density and hexagonality, as well as increased polymegathism, pleomorphism and subsequently decrease in corneal endothelial function, corneal hydration and the increase in central corneal thickness. The cell density of endothelium is around 3500 cells /mm2 in young adults. Corneas with cell count < 1000 cells /mm2 poorly tolerate intraocular surgery. Coefficient Of Variation: The normal endothelium has a co-efcient of variance of 0.25. An increase in this value means that the cell size is variable and is known as polymegathism. Aims And Objectives 1. To compare corneal endothelial cell changes namely, endothelial cell density, morphological features and central corneal thickness between diabetics and nondiabetic subjects 2. To compare corneal endothelial cell changes namely, endothelial cell density, morphological features and central corneal thickness among diabetics in relation to their HbA1c levels and their grades of retinopathy. Materials And Methods: Analytical study in Ophthalmology OPD of Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College, Mumbai Specular microscopy ndings of diabetics and nondiabetics were compared. Results And Conclusion: ECD of both eyes were reduced in cases as compared to the controls, CVand CCTwere increased in both eyes of cases as compared to that of the controls, these values were correlated to their HbA1c levels and grade of diabetic retinopathy except CCT which was increased in NPDR group. Hence regular specular microscopy evaluation prior to any ocular surgeries and use of dispersive viscoelastics in ocular surgeries are essential pre requisites in patients with diabetes mellitus.