Tear production and corneal sensitivity in diabetes

• Published in: Journal of diabetes and its complications Vol. 21; no. 6; pp. 371 - 373
• Main Authors: Cousen, Pippa, Cackett, Peter, Bennett, Harry, Swa, Ken, Dhillon, Bal
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Elsevier Inc 01.11.2007; Elsevier Limited
• Subjects: Aged; Basal tear production; Cataracts; Cell adhesion & migration; Cornea; Cornea - physiopathology; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus - physiopathology; Diabetic retinopathy; Diabetic Retinopathy - physiopathology; Endocrinology & Metabolism; Female; Humans; Hyperglycemia; Male; Middle Aged; Noncontact corneal aesthesiometer; Reference Values; Sensitivity and Specificity; Statistical analysis; Studies; Tears - secretion; Type II diabetes; Vision Tests; Type II diabetes; Cornea; Noncontact corneal aesthesiometer; Basal tear production
• ISSN: 1056-8727; 1873-460X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jdiacomp.2006.05.008

Diabetic patients are at significant risk of developing corneal lesions such as superficial punctate keratitis, recurrent corneal erosions, persistent epithelial defects, and microbial keratitis. The aim of this study was to investigate whether diabetes mellitus is correlated with both reduced corneal sensation and reduced tear production. In 25 type II diabetic patients with a history of retinopathy only and in 25 nondiabetic control subjects (age and sex matched), we performed noncontact corneal aesthesiometry and assessed basal tear production using Schirmer's test with topical anesthesia. The noncontact corneal aesthesiometer (NCCA) is a new noninvasive device for quantifying threshold corneal sensitivity. The diabetic patients demonstrated a significantly reduced Schirmer's test result ( P<.001) and significantly reduced corneal sensitivity ( P<.01). Our study supports previous reports of reduced basal tear production, lending more support to the theory of a peripheral neuropathy affecting lacrimal gland function in diabetes. We also confirmed reduced threshold corneal sensitivity in diabetic patients using the NCCA.