ABSTRACT
PURPOSE: The aim of this paper is to study if the cones and rods adaption is influenced by the degree of the diabetic retinopathy or by the retinal photocoagulation treatment. MATERIAL AND METHOD: I analysed three groups of diabetic patients: the first group without diabetic retinopathy, the second with different stages of diabetic retinopathy without laser treatment and the last one treated by panphotocoagulation. RESULTS: The exploration of the global light and dark adaptation of the retina using Hartinger's adaptometer does not allow a qualitative and selective appreciation of this function. However it suggests quantitative alterations of the terminal limit in patients with diabetic retinopathy treated or not by panphotocoagulation. CONCLUSIONS: The diabetic retinopathy produces minor symptoms of low dark adaptation even in the advanced phase. The diabetic retinopathy induces minimal changes of the graph of the adaptation limits even in the patients without treatment.
