Evaluation of near accommodation in type 1 diabetic patients

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate accommodation in type 1 diabetic patients by PowerRef3 in our study. The PowerRef 3 can be used in studying the near triad of accommodation, vergence and pupil responses in healthy and clinical populations.

Method: The accommodation of 14 patients (mean age: 33.14 ± 10.27) with type 1 diabetes and 16 control subjects (mean age: 35.81 ± 5.88) were measured by PowerRef3 at 30 cm with a standard accommodation target. The metabolic status of the diabetic patients and accommodation were compared with those of control subjects.

Results: The mean accommodation, spherical equivalents and age was not significantly different between diabetic and control subjects.  The mean duration of diabetes was 13 ± 5.7 years (min: 7, max: 27). The mean accommodation was not significantly correlated with duration of diabetes and glycated hemoglobin levels, but it was significantly correlated with the spherical equivalents (p<0.05) and weakly correlated other metabolic parameters (fasting plasma glucose, cholesterol, low density lipoprotein, high density lipoprotein and triglyceride levels).

Conclusion: The accommodation of type 1 diabetes patients at pre-presbyopic ages without diabetic retinopathy was similar to control subjects with PowerRef 3 measurements. This may reflect that good diabetes control, which will prevent retinopathy, may prevent the decrease in accommodation in type 1 diabetes patients.