Ocular surface temperature in diabetic retinopathy: a pilot study by infrared thermography.
OBJECTIVE
To compare ocular surface temperature (OST) measures in patients with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR) and healthy controls.


METHODS
A total of 51 consecutive patients with different severity degrees of NPDR and 53 age- and gender-matched healthy volunteers were recruited. OST was evaluated by infrared thermography in five conjunctival (points 1, 2, 4, 5) and corneal (point 3) points.


RESULTS
In diabetic eyes, OST values were lower than in controls at all the studied points (p<0.001 at points 1, 2, 3, 4, and p=0.003 at point 5).


CONCLUSIONS
Ocular surface temperature measurements, by estimating ocular blood flow, may be helpful in the management of patients with diabetic retinopathy.
Sodi
Andrea
A
Eye Clinic, University of Firenze, Firenze - Italy.
Giambene
Barbara
B
Miranda
Paolo
P
Falaschi
Giacomo
G
Corvi
Andrea
A
Menchini
Ugo
U
D000368:Aged; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D003930:Diabetic Retinopathy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005123:Eye / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D013817:Thermography / Q000379:methods*