The effect of acute changes in blood glucose on lenses in diabetic and non-diabetic subjects using quasi-elastic light scattering spectroscopy.

Abstract

Quasi-elastic light scattering spectroscopy was used to non-invasively monitor affects of transient blood glucose changes on lenses of non-diabetic subjects undergoing glucose tolerance testing and diabetic subjects undergoing glucose clamping protocols. Non-diabetic subjects exhibited a characteristic biphasic change in lens protein diffusion coefficient in response to glucose loading. There was an initial rapid decrease in diffusion coefficient followed by an increase to a maximum attained approximately 30 minutes after peak blood glucose levels had been reached. The diffusion coefficients then returned to baseline values approximately 60 minutes later. These changes in diffusion coefficient in the non-diabetic lens may be related to changes in lens hydration in response to glucose loading. Diabetic subjects, in contrast, did not exhibit a marked change in diffusion coefficient in response to acute blood glucose level changes. This may be attributed to an osmotic buffering in the diabetic lens which could offset the transient changes in aqueous glucose levels.