The study showed that type 2 diabetes begins to affect vision much earlier than can be detected by traditional methods in ophthalmology, as subtle structural changes occur in the retina even in the early stages of the disease, without being noticeable during a routine examination.
The researchers used optical coherence tomography (OCT), but they didn't just analyze the thickness of the retinal layers; they also analyzed their microscopic structure, or "image texture." The results revealed that changes in tissue organization and the functional properties of the layers responsible for transmitting visual signals begin to appear within just 8 to 12 weeks of developing diabetes, even in the absence of any obvious signs of diabetic retinopathy.
Scientists also observed that the protective barrier of the retina remains intact at this stage, while the changes are extremely subtle and undetectable by conventional methods. This suggests that diabetes begins to "reshape" the visual system long before any noticeable deterioration in vision occurs, making the eyes an early indicator of metabolic disorders in the body.
The researchers stressed that these findings could open new horizons for the early diagnosis of diabetes complications, and help identify patients most at risk of vision damage before irreversible changes occur.
The study was published in the journal Eye nd Vision
