A temporal deficit in juvenile diabetics.
BACKGROUND
In this study we examined the temporal domain of visual function in diabetics without retinopathy by examining wavelength discrimination ability at two exposure durations. The results were compared to those found by heterochromatic brightness matching and anomaloscope matches.


METHODS
Wavelength discrimination was performed between 440 and 540 nm at exposure times of 1 s and 0.04 s in eight juvenile diabetic patients without retinopathy. The monochromatic stimuli were presented in Maxwellian view and were set to be equally bright prior to the experiment using heterochromatic brightness matching. In addition, Rayleigh and Moreland anomaloscope matches were performed. The results of the diabetic group were compared to those of an age-matched control group of eight subjects with normal colour vision.


RESULTS
Wavelength discrimination showed no difference between the groups for an exposure time of 1 s. With an exposure duration of 0.04 s, however, the diabetics show raised thresholds for the shortest wavelengths tested. In addition, brightness matches were increased at the short wavelengths, and anomaloscope matches showed a decrease in the match range for the Moreland (blue-yellow) equation.


CONCLUSIONS
The results indicate post-receptoral alterations in diabetic patients with no visible changes in their retinae.
Kurtenbach
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University Eye Hospital, Department of Neuro-ophthalmology and Pathophysiology of Vision, Tübingen, Germany. anne.kurtenbach@uni-tuebingen.de
Neu
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A
Zrenner
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D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003118:Color Perception; D003117:Color Vision Defects / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000503:physiopathology*