Corneal endothelial cell morphometry and corneal thickness in diabetic contact lens wearers

PURPOSE: To assess corneal endothelial cell morphometry and corneal thickness in diabetic patients who wear contact lenses. METHODS: Images of the central corneal endothelium were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively and corneal thickness was measured in a group of diabetic patients (type 1, N = 26; type 2, N = 4) who wear soft contact lenses and in a group of nondiabetic age-matched control subjects who were also contact lens wearers. RESULTS: Endothelial cell characteristics and corneal thickness values were similar for the two groups (p > 0.05). Four of the diabetic patients (and none of the nondiabetic patients) displayed folds in the endothelial mosaic. CONCLUSIONS: The morphometry of corneal endothelial cells and central corneal thickness values in diabetic patients who wear soft contact lenses were not appreciably different from those found in lens-wearing control subjects