A longitudinal study of choroidal changes following cataract surgery in patients with diabetes. (July 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Yip, Vivien Cherng-Hui; Laude, Augustinus; Tan, Kara Anne; Ding, Jianbin; Wong, Elizabeth; Agrawal, Rupesh
• Is Part Of: Diabetes & vascular disease research. Volume 16:Number 4(2019:Jul.)
• Page Start: 369
• Page End: 377
• Publication Date: 2019-07
• Subjects: Diabetic retinopathy -- diabetes -- choroid -- choroidal vascularity index -- choroidal thickness; Diabetic angiopathies -- Periodicals; 616.462005
• DOI: 10.1177/1479164119841536
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1479-1641

Abstract

Objective: To study the structural changes in the choroid of diabetic patients following cataract surgery, using choroidal vascularity index and choroidal thickness. Methods: A prospective case–control study was conducted in 18 diabetic and 18 non-diabetic patients undergoing cataract surgery (phacoemulsification) in one eye. Enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography images were obtained before and after surgery. Niblack's image binarization of images was performed to derive the choroidal vascularity index. Independent sample T-test compared the differences of choroidal vascularity index and choroidal thickness between diabetic and non-diabetic patients. Results: The baseline choroidal vascularity index was significantly lower in diabetic patients for both operated (mean difference vs non-diabetic: 0.0184, 95% CI: 0.004–0.0324, p = 0.012) and non-operated (mean difference vs non-diabetic: 0.0145, 95% CI: 0.003–0.0256, p = 0.012) eyes. Choroidal thickness increased following cataract surgery (diabetes: mean difference = 12.4, 95% CI: 0.70–24.0, adjusted p = 0.036; non-diabetic: mean difference = 21.0, 95% CI: 4.39–37.6, adjusted p = 0.011). Conclusion: Diabetic patients have reduced choroidal vascularity index than non-diabetic patients, suggestive of possible reduction in choroidal vascularity in diabetes. Choroidal thickness increased following cataract surgery in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients.