Retinopathy in tropical pancreatic diabetes
R. Mohan, B. Rajendran, V. Mohan, A. Ramachandran, M. Viswanathan and E. M. Kohner
In a study of the retinopathy profile of 40 patients with tropical
pancreatic diabetes, a form of secondary diabetes seen in tropical
countries, diabetic retinopathy was detected in 13 patients. Ten patients
had background retinopathy and three patients had proliferative retinopathy
requiring laser photocoagulation. In two patients, fibrous retinitis
proliferans was present. Three patients had evidence of diabetic
maculopathy. To our knowledge, this is the first report of severe and
sight-threatening retinopathy occurring with secondary diabetes.
Retinopathy in these forms of diabetes has hitherto been considered to be
rare or, if present, only of a mild background type.
