2M.D Asistant, Bozok University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Yozgat/TURKEY
3M.D Professor, Bozok University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Ophthalmology, Yozgat/TURKEY Purpose: To investigate whether type 2 diabetes causes retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) thinning that might indicate neuronal damage and to evaluate the relationship between this damage and possible causative factors.
Materials and Methods: In this prospective study 60 eyes of 60 diabetic patients and 40 eyes of 40 healthy subjects were enrolled. Diabetic patients were divided into two subgroups as patients with no diabetic retinopathy (group 2) and patients with mild retinopathy (group 3). RNFL and GCC thicknesses were measured using RTVue (Optovue) spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Multiple lineer regression analysis was performed to determine the relationship between the RNFL and GCC thickness measurements and diabetes duration, blood glucose, HbA1c, DR status and age.
Results: Mean RNFL thickness measurements were different between the groups (p=0.03) and superior and inferior RNFL thicknesses were reduced in diabetic patients with retinopathy. Superior GCC thickness was significantly thinner in group 3 compared to group 1 (p=0.044). Regression analysis showed that only DR status had a significant association with GCC and RNFL thinning.
Conclusions: Retinal neuronal damage accompanies microvascular damage in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Keywords : Diabetes, optical coherence tomography, neuronal damage