Central corneal thickness in type II diabetes mellitus: is it related to the severity of diabetic retinopathy?

BACKGROUND/AIM To compare the central corneal thickness (CCT) of type II diabetes mellitus patients with age- and sex-matched healthy subjects and to determine the association of the severity of diabetic retinopathy and CCT. MATERIALS AND METHODS Type II diabetes mellitus patients without retinopathy, with nonproliferative retinopathy, and with proliferative retinopathy were organized as the three subgroups of the study group, and an age- and sex-matched control group was formed. All subjects underwent full ophthalmological examination and CCT measurement with ultrasonographic pachymetry. CCT values were compared between diabetic and healthy subjects and between the three diabetic subgroups. Correlation analysis was performed to determine any relationship between CCT and intraocular pressure. RESULTS The average CCT was significantly higher in diabetic patients than in the control group (P = 0.04). CCT in diabetic patients without retinopathy did not significantly differ from that of patients with retinopathy (P = 0.64). Similarly, there was no significant difference in CCT between nonproliferative and proliferative diabetic retinopathy patients (P = 0.47). In the whole study population, CCT was significantly correlated with intraocular pressure (P < 0.01). CONCLUSION CCT is significantly increased in type II diabetes mellitus patients with respect to controls. Retinal disease severity does not seem to have an effect on corneal thickness.