CORNEAL ENDOTHELIAL FUNCTION IN DIABETES - A FLUOROPHOTOMETRIC STUDY

The corneal endothelium in diabetics is particularly susceptible to su rgical trauma. This is related to the presence of morphological altera tions of endothelial cells and to a supposedly concomitant functional failure of the endothelium in these patients. The aim of our study was to evaluate the corneal endothelial function in diabetics. A fluoroph otometric study was performed on 3 groups of diabetic subjects without retinopathy, with nonproliferative retinopathy and with proliferative retinopathy compared with an age-matched control group. We evidenced a significant increase in corneal thickness and in passive corneal per meability in diabetics with severe retinal involvement. These findings are not related with a proportional significant increase in endotheli al pump function. We suggest an altered regulation in corneal hydratio n in diabetic patients depending on the functional failure of endothel ial cells that is likely to be connected with corneal biochemical modi fications caused by an altered glucidic metabolism.