Abstract

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, non-interventional study done in OPD of regional referral centre.
PURPOSE: To assess changes in contrast sensitivity (CS) in diabetics with no diabetic retinopathy(DR) (group 1), with DR but no diabetic macular edema(DME) (group 2) and DR with DME (group 3) over one year.
METHODS: 30 eyes each of patients in the 3 groups were studied over 1 year with follow up at 6 months and 12 months. All patients underwent a complete eye exam, SDOCT of macula and CS using Pelli-Robson chart at 1metre. The main outcome measure was changes in CS over three time zones in all three groups.
RESULTS: On comparing groups 1 with 3 and 2 with 3, significance was noted at all 3 time zones.
CONCLUSION: There was no deterioration in CS over baseline during the 1 year follow-up in Group 1. Deterioration in CS became significant in group 2 at 12 months. CS did not deteriorate significantly overtime in group 3 but it was significantly lower when comparing group 3 with either 2 or 1.