A Comparison of Central Corneal Thickness in Diabetic and Non-Diabetic Patients before and after Cataract Surgery

Abstract

Purpose: To compare preoperative and postoperative central corneal thickness (CCT), epithelial thickness (ET) and visual acuity (VA) changes in diabetic and non-diabetic patients undergoing cataract surgery.

Methods : A prospective, observational study was conducted at the Regional Institute of Ophthalmology, Banaras Hindu University, from November 2019 to May 2021. A total of 100 patients (50 diabetics and 50 non-diabetics) who underwent uneventful cataract surgery were included in the study after ethical committee approval and informed written consent. Preoperative and postoperative assessments were done at Day 1, 7, 30 and 90. AS-OCT was used for CCT and ET measurements, while Snellen's chart assessed VA. Data were analyzed using SPSS vl8, with independent t-tests and paired t-tests applied for intergroup and intragroup comparisons.

Results: Diabetic patients exhibited significantly higher CCT preoperatively (533.00 µm whereas 505.00 µmin non-diabetics, p

< 0.05) and delayed postoperative corneal recovery. The highest CCT increase occurred on Day 1, followed by gradual resolution. At Day 30, CCT remained 1.31% above baseline in diabetics whereas 0.245% in non-diabetics (p= 0.0001). ET followed a similar trend, showing prolonged healing in diabetics. However, VA improvement was comparable between both groups, with no significant differences at three months.

Conclusion : Diabetes leads to delayed corneal recovery post-cataract surgery, with prolonged CCT and ET changes, though visual outcomes remain unaffected. Postoperative monitoring is crucial for diabetic patients to ensure optimal corneal healing.