Purpose: To compare the degree of posterior capsule opacification (PCO) after cataract surgery in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and in nondiabetic patients.
Patients and methods: All surgeries were done at Department of Ophthalmology, University Hospital in Hradec Králové and three-piece Alcon AcrySof intraocular lens (MA60BM or MA30BA) was implanted in all eyes. Seven years after surgery, examination of eyes was done including best corrected Snellen visual acuity (BCVA) measurement. Digital retroillumination photographs of mydriatic anterior segments were taken and PCO was assessed using EPCO 2000 software for PCO quantification. Patients enrolled in the study were devided into two groups--with type 2 DM and without DM. EPCO index for 4 PCO severity grades and Total EPCO index for entire IOL were compared between the groups. The incidence of Nd:YAG laser capsulotomy and operative Elschnigg pearls removal, as well as BCVA, were also evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using nonparametric tests.
Results: 82 patients (140 eyes) were analyzed. 26 of them (36 eyes) were type 2 diabetics (DM group), none type 1 diabetics, remaining 56 nondiabetic patients (104 eyes) were enrolled in the control group. Total EPCO index for the DM group was 0.531 +/- 0.543, for the control group 0.492 +/- 0.532, no significant difference (P = 0.66). No significant different in Nd:YAG capsulotomy rate (22.2% for DM vs. 17.3% for control, P = 0.62) and operative Elschnigg pearls removal (8.3% for DM vs. 1.9% for control, P = 0.11) was proved. BCVA in the DM group was 0.80 +/- 0.29, in the control group 0.82 +/- 0.22, no significant difference (P = 0.78).
Conclusion: No significant difference in PCO extent, Nd:YAG capsulotomy rate and operative PCO treatment was proved between the patients with type 2 DM and the control group. However, all outcomes were nonsignificantly worse in the diabetic patients.