Aggressive ophthalmological management in diabetic end-stage renal disease: a study of 31 consecutively referred...

We prospectively followed the course of eye disease in patients with diabetic end-stage nephropathy from the time of initial referral by the renal unit. A total of 31 patients (62 eyes)--9 of whom had functioning renal transplants and 22 of whom were on maintenance dialysis--were consecutively evaluated for 6-24 months (mean follow-up of 18 months). Visual acuity and diabetic retinopathy stabilized or improved in all 18 eyes of the transplant patients and in 41 of 44 (93%) eyes of the dialysis patients. When first evaluated, economically useful vision (20/200 or better) was present in 11 of 18 (61%) eyes in the transplant group and in 25 of 44 (57%) eyes in the dialysis group. At the most recent evaluation, economically useful vision was present in 13 of 18 eyes (72%) in the transplant group versus 28 of 44 eyes (64%) in the dialysis group. Ambulatory vision (counting fingers or better) was present in 15 of 18 eyes (83%) in the transplant group versus 37 of 44 eyes (84%) in the dialysis group.