Address of Corresponding Author

Gynecol Obstet Invest 2005;60:92-97 (DOI: 10.1159/000085327)

  Key Words

• Diabetes
• Achromatic visual field
• Menstrual cycle
• Follicular and luteal phases

  Abstract

Aim: To determine the effect of the menstrual cycle on white-on-white perimetry (WWP) tests of diabetic women. Subjects and Methods: Left eyes of 129 normally menstruating women (81 type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) with mild (n = 43) and severe (n = 38) non-proliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR), and 48 healthy control females) were included in the study. All subjects underwent complete ocular examination and WWP tests both in the follicular (7-10th day of the cycle) and luteal phases (days 3-7 before the bleeding) of two consecutive menstrual cycles. WWP was performed using Humphrey Field Analyzer II with SITA Standard, central 30-2 program. Mean sensitivity (MS) of points located at central 3, 9, 15, 21 and 27° retinal locations (4, 12, 18, 24 and 16 points, respectively) were calculated in all menstrual phases. Results: The mean age of diabetic patients with mild and severe NPDR and control subjects were 28.8 ± 4.7, 30.1 ± 5.9 and 29.4 ± 5.1 years, respectively (p > 0.05). Their mean MS values were 30.7 ± 1.0, 30.4 ± 1.0 and 30.8 ± 0.8 dB, respectively (p > 0.05). Diabetic patients with severe NPDR demonstrated significant decreases in mean MS values of peripheral 21 and 27° visual field locations in the luteal phase (p < 0.05). However, changes in that of the locations within central 15° visual field were non-significant (p > 0.05). Diabetic patients with mild NPDR and control subjects demonstrated no significant changes in mean MS values of any of the visual field locations (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Peripheral, rather than central, locations of central visual field of diabetic women with severe NPDR demonstrated a significant retinal sensitivity loss in the luteal phase. These findings should be taken into consideration during the clinical follow-up of diabetic women at risk of glaucoma and ocular hypertension.

Copyright © 2005 S. Karger AG, Basel

  Author Contacts

Dr. Munire Erman Akar
Akdeniz Universitesi Tip Fakultesi
Kadin Hastaliklari ve Dogum AD
TR-07070 Antalya (Turkey)
Tel. +90 242 227 43 43, Fax +90 242 228 35 23, E-Mail mnirea@yahoo.com

  Article Information

Received: June 7, 2004
Accepted after revision: January 26, 2005
Published online: April 20, 2005
Number of Print Pages : 6
Number of Figures : 0, Number of Tables : 4, Number of References : 35