Association of optical coherence tomography findings with visual acuity and glycemic control in diabetic macular edema

Purpose: To investigate the correlation between the features of optical coherence tomography (OCT), visual acuity (VA) and the glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) in diabetic macular edema (DME)Methods: The records of 87 eyes of 61 patients who were followed for DME between 2011-2012 were evaluated retrospectively. According to OCT, first we classified two types of DME; diffuse retinal thickening (DRT) and cystoid macular edema (CME) and then we divided these groups to subgroups according to existance of serous retinal detachment (SRD) and vitreomacular interface abnormalities (VMA). Age, sex, type of diabetic retinopathy (DR), focal laser fotocoagulation treatment, best corrected VA, OCT findings and HbA1c levels were evaluated.Results: Eighty seven eyes of 61 patients were included. The mean age was 61,6. There were 48 (%55,2) men and 39 (%44,8) women. The most common type is CME (%83,9) (n= 73). Two eyes had SRD (%14,3) and six eyes had VMA (%42,8) in DRT, nineteen eyes had SRD (%26) and 17 (%23,2) eyes had VMA in CME. SRD and VMA were more common in CME than in DRT (p<0,05). The mean central RT in CME (451,96 ± 11,58µm) was significantly higher than the mean central RT in DRT (372 ± 22,92 µm) (p=0,008). There were low correlation between VA and macular total volume (MTV) (r=0.264), mild corelation between VA and central RT (r=0.371) (p=0,000). There was high correlation between MTV and central RT (r=0.573). HbA1c levels were high in 86 eyes (%97,7). There was no association between HbA1c and type of DME or VA.Conclusion: Morfologic types of DME according to OCT are associated with central RT. VA is associated with RT and MTV. There is no association between HbA1c and type of DME or VA.Keywords: diabetic macular edema, optical coherence tomography, retinal thickness, HbA1c