This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Reply to article  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Citing articles on Web of Science (30)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in this journal  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

R. Theodore Smith, MD, PhD; Carol M. Lee, MD; Howard C. Charles, MD; Marilyn Farber, DrPH; Jose G. Cunha-Vaz, MD, PhD

Arch Ophthalmol. 1987;105(2):218-222.

Abstract
• In a cross-sectional study, 34 diabetic patients with clinically significant macular edema underwent visual acuity testing, stereo fundus photography (graded for retinal thickening and hard exudates), fluorescein angiography (evaluated for macular leakage and the outline of the foveal avascular zone [FAZ]), and vitreous fluorophotometry (whereby posterior penetration ratios were calculated). This last ratio provided the highest single correlation with visual acuity; next highest were patient age and FAZ grading. Multivariate regression confirmed that these three variables together best predicted visual acuity. Lesser correlations with acuity were obtained with angiographic leakage and fundus photography grading. Cross-correlations among all gradings showed that indicators of breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier, ie, fluorophotometry, angiographic leakage, and retinal thickening, were significantly correlated with each other, whereas FAZ grading was independent of all these factors and correlated only with acuity. By performing vitreous fluorophotometry and fluorescein angiography, it is possible to quantitate two major components of diabetic maculopathy: breakdown of the blood-retinal barrier and macular ischemia, both of which are highly correlated with visual acuity.

Author Affiliations
From the Department of Ophthalmology, University of Illinois College of Medicine, Chicago. Dr Smith is now in private practice in New York.

Footnotes
Accepted for publication Aug 29, 1986.

Reprint requests to 635 W 165th St, New York, NY 10032 (Dr Smith).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Intraocular and plasma levels of cellular fibronectin in patients with uveitis and diabetes mellitus
Probst et al.
Br J Ophthalmol 2004;88:667-672.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Retinal Thickness in Eyes With Mild Nonproliferative Retinopathy in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: Comparison of Measurements Obtained by Retinal Thickness Analysis and Optical Coherence Tomography
Pires et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 2002;120:1301-1306.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Quantitative assessment of macular thickness in normal subjects and patients with diabetic retinopathy by scanning retinal thickness analyser
Oshima et al.
Br J Ophthalmol 1999;83:54-61.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

The Relationship of Macular Microcirculation to Visual Acuity in Diabetic Patients
Arend et al.
Arch Ophthalmol 1995;113:610-614.
ABSTRACT