Cataract and Diabetes

Abstract

A review has been made of 1,485 cataract extractions carried out in the Oxford Eye Hospital in the years 1957-62. First operations for senile cataract numbered 1,024 and 110 (10.7%) of these were on diabetics. Diabetes was found as a result of cataract in 31 (28%) of the 110 diabetics, or 3% of all patients having a senile cataract extracted. A total of 454 patients lived within a defined area. Of these, 13% were diabetics, and 8.8% previously known diabetics. Extraction of a senile cataract was calculated to be 4 to 6 times more frequent in known diabetics than in non-diabetics. Senile cataract in known diabetics tends to be associated with diabetes of long duration. The degree of control of diabetes in patients having a cataract extracted was worse than the average in those attending a diabetic clinic.