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Dynamic Responses in Retinal Vessel Caliber With Flicker Light Stimulation and Risk of Diabetic Retinopathy and Its
Laurence S Lim1, Lieng H Ling2, Peng Guan Ong3
1Singapore Eye Research Institute, Singapore National Eye Centre, Duke - National University of Singapore, Singapore 2Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Reduced retinal vessel response to flickering light is linked to diabetic retinopathy (DR) progression in adults with diabetes. This finding highlights potential early indicators for DR development and worsening.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Diabetology
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a leading cause of vision loss in diabetic patients.
- Early detection and prediction of DR progression are crucial for timely intervention.
- Retinal vascular function may serve as an indicator for DR development and progression.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between retinal vascular responses to flickering light and the incidence and progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR).
- To determine if dynamic vessel analysis (DVA) can predict DR development or worsening in adult diabetic patients.
Main Methods:
- A prospective cohort study involving 276 adult subjects with diabetes mellitus.
- Dynamic vessel analysis (DVA) measured retinal arteriolar and venular dilatation in response to flicker stimulation.
- Diabetic retinopathy (DR) was assessed using retinal photography at baseline and 1-year follow-up.
Main Results:
- Reduced retinal arteriolar dilatory response to flicker was associated with incident DR (P = 0.048).
- Greater arteriolar and venular dilatory responses were linked to a lower likelihood of DR progression (OR 1.85 and 1.89, respectively).
- No significant associations were found for incident proliferative DR or DR regression.
Conclusions:
- Diminished retinal arteriolar and venular dilatory responses to flickering light are associated with an increased risk of DR progression.
- DVA may offer a valuable tool for assessing DR progression risk in diabetic patients.
- Retinal vascular reactivity could be an early biomarker for diabetic eye disease progression.
