Early detection of macular and peripapillary changes with spectralis optical coherence tomography in patients with prediabetes.

Purpose: To compare the retina ganglion cell complex (GCC) layer and peripapillary nerve fibre layer thickness (pRNFL) in patients with prediabetes and healthy subjects analysed by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).

Methods: This cross-sectional and comparative study included prediabetic patients and healthy subjects. All participants underwent SD-OCT measurement of pRNFL thickness, and GCC thickness.

Results: A total of 30 eyes of the 30 patients with prediabetes and 30 eyes of 30 controls were included. The overall calculated pRNFL thicknesses were similar between the prediabetic and control subjects. The GCC thickness was significantly lower in all quadrants of the inner macula, and outer nasal quadrant in the prediabetes group when compared to the control group.

Conclusion: Our study demonstrated that inner macular GCC thickness was significantly thinner in prediabetic subjects. As a result neurodegeneration may play role in the thinning of GCC.