SHORT-WAVELENGTH AUTOMATED PERIMETRY IN DIABETIC PATIENTS WITHOUT RETINOPATHY

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Diabetology
• Neuroscience

Background:

• Diabetes mellitus can lead to various ocular complications, including retinopathy.
• Early detection of retinal dysfunction in diabetic patients is crucial for timely intervention.
• Short-wavelength automated perimetry (SWAP) assesses specific retinal functions potentially affected early in disease progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare SWAP results between diabetic patients without retinopathy and healthy controls.
• To determine if SWAP can detect retinal dysfunction before visible retinopathy develops.
• To investigate the influence of diabetes duration and glycemic control (HbA1c) on visual field indices.

Main Methods:

• 22 diabetic patients (Type 1 or 2) without retinopathy and 21 healthy controls underwent SWAP using the Humphrey Field Analyzer (SITA SWAP, 24-2 test).
• Visual field indices, including mean deviation (MD) and pattern standard deviation (PSD), were analyzed.
• Diabetes duration and HbA1c levels were recorded; statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney and Spearman correlation tests.

Main Results:

• Diabetic patients exhibited significantly lower MD (p < 0.05) and higher PSD (p < 0.05) compared to controls, indicating impaired visual field function.
• The average diabetes duration was 17 years with a mean HbA1c of 60.64 mmol/mol.
• A significant correlation was observed only between PSD and HbA1c (p > 0.05); diabetes duration showed no effect on visual field indices.

Conclusions:

• Retinal short-wavelength sensitivity appears compromised in diabetic patients even without clinically evident retinopathy.
• These findings suggest early neuroretinal impairment in diabetes.
• No association was found between visual field function and diabetes duration or glycemic control in this cohort.