REFRACTION AND RETINOPATHY IN DIABETIC CHILDREN BELOW 16 YEARS OF AGE

In a population-based cross-sectional study of insulin-dependent diabe tes mellitus, 42 children - with a median age of 11 years (range 7-15 years) and a median duration of diabetes of 4 years (range 1-12 years) - underwent an ophthalmological and a biochemical examination (HbA1c) . None of the children had visual loss due to diabetes, and only 4.8% had mild, non-proliferative retinopathy. Using cycloplegic refractioni ng, we found low degree myopia (less than -2D) in 12% of the patients, whereas non-mydriatic measurements increased the frequency of myopia to 29%. We therefore recommend the use of cycloplegia in refractive ev aluations of diabetic children.