Correlation of corneal sensation, but not of basal or reflex tear secretion, with the stage of diabetic retinopathy.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the possible relation between corneal sensation or tear secretion and the stage of diabetic retinopathy in diabetic patients.


METHODS
Total reflex or basal tear secretion and corneal sensation were determined in 95 patients with type II diabetes mellitus and 58 nondiabetic control subjects. Tear secretion was measured by the Schirmer test and corneal sensation with a Cochet-Bonnet esthesiometer.


RESULTS
Corneal sensation and total or reflex tear secretion were significantly reduced in diabetic patients compared with nondiabetic controls. The loss of corneal sensation, but not that of tear secretion, was significantly correlated with stage of diabetic retinopathy in diabetic patients who were diagnosed with no diabetic retinopathy, simple diabetic retinopathy, preproliferative retinopathy, or proliferative retinopathy.


CONCLUSIONS
Both corneal sensation and total or reflex tear secretion are reduced in individuals with diabetes. The decrease in corneal sensation, but not that in each tear secretion, was correlated with the stage of diabetic retinopathy. Given that loss of corneal sensation is a manifestation of diabetic polyneuropathy, these results are consistent with the notion that both diabetic retinopathy and polyneuropathy result from a basement membrane abnormality.
Saito
Jun
J
Department of Biomolecular Recognition and Ophthalmology, Yamaguchi University School of Medicine, Ube City, Yamaguchi, Japan. j.saito@yamaguchi-u.ac.jp
Enoki
Miho
M
Hara
Makiko
M
Morishige
Naoyuki
N
Chikama
Tai-Ichiro
T
Nishida
Teruo
T
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003315:Cornea / Q000502:physiology*; D003316:Corneal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003941:Diagnostic Techniques, Ophthalmological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011115:Polyneuropathies / Q000503:physiopathology; D012021:Reflex, Abnormal / Q000502:physiology; D012677:Sensation / Q000502:physiology*; D012678:Sensation Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013666:Tears / Q000378:metabolism*