Differences in Intraocular Pressure, Corneal Thickness, and Corneal Endothelium Related to Duration in Diabetes

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: This study evaluated the differences of intraocular pressure (IOP), corneal thickness, and corneal endothelial morphology compared with age-matched, healthy control subjects, as well as the correlation according to the duration of diabetes. METHODS: Goldmann applanation tonometry, ultrasound pachymetry, and non-contact specular microscopy were performed in 200 patients with diabetes and 100 control subjects. RESULTS: The diabetic subjects had higher IOP, thicker cornea and less cell density, less hexagonality, and more irregular cell size of corneal endothelium than the controls (P<0.05). Central corneal thickness and coefficient of variation in cell size were higher in diabetes of over 10 years duration than in diabetes of under 10 years duration (P<0.05), while endothelial cell density and percentage of hexagonal cells were lower in the diabetes of over 10 years group (P<0.05). Central corneal thickness was correlated with duration of diabetes but IOP and corneal endothelial morphologic characteristics were not. CONCLUSIONS: Especially, those with a diabetes duration of over 10 years have more corneal morphological abnormalities and a higher IOP than normal subjects. Therefore, any surgical procedures should be performed carefully in the diabetic cornea that is easily damaged by, for example, phacoemulsification.