title: Corneal epithelial fragility in diabetes mellitus.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess corneal epithelial fragility in non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) and its association with retinopathy.
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey.
  
  
  METHODS
  University-affiliated hospital in Chandigarh, India.
  
  
  METHODS
  Seventy patients with NIDDM selected at random and 35 age-matched healthy control subjects recruited from hospital staff and their relatives.
  
  
  METHODS
  Corneal epithelial fragility, as measured with an esthesiometer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean corneal epithelial fragility values were significantly higher for the diabetic subjects without retinopathy than for the control subjects (p < 0.05). The mean epithelial fragility values for the eyes with diabetic proliferative retinopathy and those with nonproliferative retinopathy were significantly higher (by 84% and 41% respectively) than the mean value for the diabetic subjects without retinopathy (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference in mean epithelial fragility values between the proliferative and nonproliferative retinopathy groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Eyes with diabetic retinopathy demonstrate increased corneal epithelial fragility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Saini
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Khandalavla
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003315:Cornea / Q000502:physiology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004848:Epithelium / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012677:Sensation