Diabetic maculopathy and glaucoma

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Diabetology

Background:

• Diabetes mellitus is a systemic disease affecting multiple organs, including the eyes.
• Diabetic retinopathy and glaucoma are common ocular complications in diabetic patients.
• Laser therapy is a treatment modality for diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the prevalence and characteristics of primary simple glaucoma in diabetic patients undergoing laser treatment for diabetic retinopathy.
• To highlight the importance of specialized care for diabetic patients with co-existing glaucoma.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 200 diabetic patients who received laser treatment.
• Identification and characterization of patients with primary simple glaucoma.
• Assessment of maculopathy types (focal, cystoid, ischemic) in glaucoma patients.

Main Results:

• Five patients (2.5%) had bilaterally treated primary simple glaucoma.
• All glaucoma patients had diabetic maculopathy within the spectrum of simple diabetic retinopathy.
• Maculopathy types observed: focal (5), cystoid (3), ischemic (1).

Conclusions:

• Diabetic patients with glaucoma necessitate increased clinical attention due to heightened risks to visual function and visual field.
• Reduced foveolar sensitivity in some diabetics with glaucoma can impair visual acuity, making it an unreliable indicator of laser therapy success.