Useful notes for medical students

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Diabetes and the eye

Risk factors for developing diabetic retinopathy

Microaneurysm

Diabetic retinopathy

Management of diabetic retinopathy

diabetic papillopathy

 

When you think about diabetes and its effect on the eye remember to consider the extraocular and ocular structures NOT only the retina:

Figure 1 Diabetic retinopathy

 

Orbit

• Increased incidence of Orbital cellulitis

 

Cranial nerve palsies

• 3rd, 4th and 6th Cranial nerve may be affected by diabetic neuropathy

 

Lids

• Increased risk of lid infections

 

Cornea

• Increased risk of microbial keratis (Corneal ulcer)

 

Anterior chamber and uvea

• Increased risk of uveitis especially following intra ocular surgery for eg Cataract extraction

Glaucoma

• Open angle glaucoma

• Rubreotic glaucoma (Associated with abnormal vessels in the anterior chamber angle)

Lens

• Transient myopia - Due to accumulation of sorbitol within the lens

• Cataract - Especially cortical cataracts

 

Vitreous

• Vitreous hemorrhage

 

Retina

• Diabetic retinopathy

• Central and Branch vein occlusion

• Central and Branch artery occlusion

 

Optic nerve

• Diabetic papillopathy

• Disc swelling without any tractional component

• Non arteritic optic neuropathy