AIM: To describe and compare ocular surface changes in type 2 diabetes patients treated either oral antidiabetic drugs(OAD)or insulin.

METHODS: Forty eyes of twenty patients treated with OAD, 40 eyes of 20 patients treated with insulin and 10 non-diabetic controls seen at the Ministry of Health Ankara Educational and Research Hospital were studied. All subjects underwent routine ophthalmic examinations, Schirmer test, tear film break-up time analysis and conjunctival impression cytology analysis. Patients in three groups were compared for tear function parameters, goblet cell density and squamous metaplasia grade. The relation between status of retinopathy and ocular surface disorders were noted.

RESULTS: The tear film break-up time values were significantly lower at patients treated with OAD(P<0.05). Goblet cell density and squamous metaplasia grade were similar at all groups. The median grade was grade 1 in which epithelial cells are slightly larger, more polygonal, have eosinophilic staining cytoplasm and goblet cells are decreased in number. Status of retinopathy did not seem to relate with ocular surface disorders.

CONCLUSION: Precorneal tear film stability is found to be worse in patients treated with OAD whereas impression cytology analysis is similar in all groups.