| Abstract: | PURPOSE: The evaluation of contrast sensitivity in children and adolescents with type I diabetes mellitus with and without retinopathy, taking into account metabolic control. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We examined 100 young patients (71 without retinopathy and 29 with background retinopathy on fluorescein angiography) and 60 control non-diabetic subjects matched for age and sex, without visual or systemic symptoms. Contrast sensitivity was measured in spatial frequency of 3, 6, 12 and 18 cycles/degree (c/d). RESULTS: Contrast sensitivity was significantly lower (p < 0.001) in four spatial frequencies in all diabetic patients and in IDDM patients without retinopathy than in control group. Patients with IDDM and retinopathy had abnormal contrast sensitivity at spatial frequency 18 c/d when compared with patients without retinopathy. There was no correlation between contrast sensitivity and HbA1c values. CONCLUSIONS: Contrast sensitivity measurement in children and adolescents with type I diabetes is useful in the evaluation of the nature of early abnormalities in retinal function of diabetics. |
