Abstract
Purpose:
To evaluate white dots in the central fundus in patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) type 2, without or with minimal diabetic retinopathy (DR).
Methods:
Patients with DM type 2, underwent (redfree) fundus fotography as part of a clinical trial of the internal medicine department. DR and small white dots (diameter 10 micron) seen on (redfree) fundus photography scattered around the fovea were scored. Furthermore fundus photos of age-matched healthy subjects were also investigated for the presence of white dots.
Results:
232 fundus photos of 232 DM type 2 patients (mean age 58.0 ± 10.5 years) were included in the study. Fundus photography showed more than 5 white dots in the central fundus in 67 eyes (33%); 13 patients had many dots (n>15). 63% of the patients showed no DR, 21% had minimal DR. There was no significant difference found in the presence of white dots between the two groups of DR (chi-square test p=0.57). In 60 fundus photos of healthy subjects white dots were also scored, 5% of these fundi showed the similar white dots as seen in diabetes patients but in none of them more than 15 dots were counted. No correlation was found with the presence of white dots and HbA1C, lipid profile, high blood pressure, duration of DM or gender.
Conclusions:
White dots in the ocular fundus seem to be a more common occurrence in DM type 2 patients, both without or with DR as compared to healthy subjects. No correlation with vasculopathy or metabolic control was found.
Keywords: 499 diabetic retinopathy •
550 imaging/image analysis: clinical