title: Assessment of Corneal Backward Light Scattering in Diabetic Patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze corneal backward light scattering differences in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
  
  
  METHODS
  We enrolled 43 eyes from 43 diabetic patients and 40 eyes from 40 healthy controls. Corneal backward light scattering was evaluated using densitometry measurements from different corneal layers and zones obtained using Scheimpflug tomography (PentacamHR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  When densitometry values were divided by depth, anterior layer of diabetic corneas displayed significantly higher corneal backward light scattering values than controls (32.05, 95% confidence intervals [CI], 31.02-33.08 vs. 29.18, 95% CI, 27.60-30.76, P=0.024). Corneal densitometry measurements were also significantly higher in diabetic eyes compared with control eyes, when considered by concentric zones of total cornea in the 0 to 2 mm (21.65, 95% CI, 20.28-23.01 vs. 18.87 95% CI, 18.49-19.25, P=0.020), and anterior layer in the 0 to 2 mm (27.3, 95% CI, 25.04-29.56 vs. 22.31, 95% CI, 20.57-24.05, P<0.001), 2 to 6 mm (26.2, 95% CI, 24.99-27.41 vs. 22.4, 95% CI, 20.18-24.62, P<0.001) and 6 to 10 mm (32.19, 95% CI, 29.98-34.40 vs. 27.2, 95% CI, 25.39-29.01, P=0.022). There was excellent positive correlation between anterior total corneal densitometry measurements and duration of diabetes (r=0.802, P<0.001), although no significant correlation was observed with anterior total corneal densitometry measurements and hemoglobin A1c levels (r=0.080, P=0.621) in diabetic eyes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Backward light scattering values from the anterior layer of the cornea is greater in diabetic eyes than in controls. Anterior total corneal densitometry measurements show positive correlation with the duration of diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Ophthalmology Department (P.Ö.), Mugla Sitki Kocman University Faculty of Medicine, Mugla, Turkey; and Ophthalmology Department (E.Ö.), Mugla Sitki Kocman University Training and Research Hospital, Mugla, Turkey.
authors.forename: Pelin
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Özyol
authors.forename: Erhan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Özyol
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003315:Cornea / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003720:Densitometry / Q000379:methods*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012542:Scattering, Radiation