Clinical study of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness changes in type 2 diabetic eyes by optical coherence tomography

Objective To investigate and assess retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL) thickness changes of optical nerve using stratus optical coherence tomography(OCT) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.Methods In a prospective study,OCT was performed in 58 eyes of 37 diabetic patients and 36 normal eyes of 40 control subjects.The diabetic patients were divided into three groups:non-diabetic retinopathy(NDR),non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy(NPDR),and proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR) groups.The difference in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness of optical nerve by stratus optical coherence tomography(OCT) between diabetic patients and normal subjects were analysed.Results There was no statistically significant difference between control group and NDR group(P0.05),but there were statistically significant differences between normal group,NPDR group,and PDR group(P0.05).The RNFL was much thicker in the PDR group,whereas it was much thinner in NPDR group.Conclusion OCT is a useful tool to observe retinal nerve frber layer thickness of optical nerve in type 2 diabetic eyes.OCT facilitates the diagnosis,treatments and prognosis of diabetic patients.