Corneal Changes in Diabetics After Phacoemulsification

Title:

Corneal changes in diabetics after phacoemulsification

Introduction:

Cataract is one of the common cause of reversible blindness. In diabetics, Age-related cataract occurs earlier and nuclear cataract is more common and tends to progress rapidly. True diabetic cataract is a rare condition usually occurring in young adults due to the osmotic over-hydration of the lens. Initially a large number of fluid vacuoles appear underneath the anterior and posterior capsules, which is soon followed by the appearance of bilateral snowflake-like white opacities in the cortex.

Diabetic hyperglycemia also inhibits the function of Na+ k+ ATPase activity thereby causing dysfunction of the corneal endothelial cell layer. The endothelial cell morphology is also abnormal in diabetics. Polymegathism and Pleomorphism are noted. The cornea is also found to be thicker in diabetics owing to the slower recovery of corneal edema.