AIM:To investigate the change regulation of macular thickness and volume on 1d preoperatively and 1d postoperatively in diabetic cataract patients affected by cataract surgery using stratus optical coherence tomography(OCT).

METHODS: Totally 50 patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(non proliferative retinopathy)requiring phacoemulsification and intraocular lens implantation were enrolled. This study was designed as self-controlled of 1d preoperatively and 1d postoperatively eyes. OCT was used to examine the macular thickness, volume, and total macular volume.

RESULTS: No abnormal retinal morphology of macular region was found in any of the patients by OCT. Maldistribution was observed in the thickness and volume of the macular inner ring A, central B and outer ring C. The volume presented a basin distribution from the interior to the exterior. At 1d after surgery, of the nine compartment of the macular region, the macular mean B2, C2, C3 and C4 was thicker than that 1d before surgery. And the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the mean retinal thickness of macular within 1mm(A)at 1d before and after surgery(P>0.05). Moreover, at 1d after operation, the average volume of macula in A, B4, C1, C2 and C4 increased significantly compared with that at 1d before operation(P<0.05), whereas there were no obvious changes in total volume after operation than before(P>0.05).

CONCLUSION: Diabetic cataract surgery affects the macular thickness and volume.