OCULAR COMPLICATIONS IN YOUNG-ADULTS WITH INSULIN-DEPENDENT DIABETES-MELLITUS SINCE CHILDHOOD

A cross-sectional study in 80 insulin-dependent diabetic patients born 1963-1968 who experienced the onset of diabetes before 15 years of ag e showed that at a mean age of 21.6 (range 17-25) years and after a me an duration of diabetes of 13.3 (range 6-24) years, 80% of the patient s had retinopathy: 70% had background and 10% proliferative changes. R etinopathy correlated with the duration of the diabetes and poor gluco se control at 15 years of age but not with the actual level of glycate d haemoglobin. The severity of retinopathy was worse in women than in men. One patient (1.2%) was blind. Two patients had had cataract opera tions and 66% had myopic refraction in one or both eyes. In 61 patient s a further period of ophthalmological follow-up of 3-4 years was incl uded. After 20 years of diabetes, all had retinopathy and 29% had prol iferative changes: 33% had received laser treatment after 8-27 (mean 1 6.1) years of diabetes. Altogether, 2 patients (2.5% of the original s eries) were blind. For prevention of diabetic retinopathy and blindnes s, good glucose control from puberty and careful ophthalmological foll ow-up after transfer of the patient from paediatric to adult diabetes care play major roles.