THE PREVALENCE OF CATARACT IN INSULIN‐DEPENDENT AND NON‐INSULIN‐DEPENDENT‐DIABETES MELLITUS

In an epidemiological study of 533 diabetics ‐ 227 treated with insulin and 306 treated with oral hypoglycaemic agents (OHA) ‐ the prevalence of cataract/ aphakia and lens opacities was in total higher (P<0.01) in type 2 diabetics (= non‐insulin‐dependent diabetes) compared with type 1 diabetics (= insulin‐dependent diabetes). Type 2 diabetics were characterized by a higher age than type 1 diabetics (P < 0.01). Thus, an age‐specific comparison between type 1 and type 2 diabetics showed no difference (P > 0.05) in the occurrence of cataract/aphakia in type 1 diabetics (P < 0.01) in the age interval 50–64 years. Cataract/aphakia and lens opacities correlated positively (P < 0.01) with the current age and presence of retinopathy within both groups of diabetics. In type 1 diabetics the duration of diabetes was related to cataract/aphakia. A comparison of this study with the results of previous population studies of cataract in non‐diabetics indicates that cataract/aphakia occurs more fre‐quently in diabetics exclusively below the age of 65–70 years.

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