AIM:To observe the corneal endothelial cells morphology at the central and incision cornea of diabetes patient after phacoemulsification,and find out the regularity of corneal endothelial cells morphologic change and some related affected factors.METHODS:Twenty-eight cases 32 eyes with age-related cataract and non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus(diabetes group) and 31 cases 32 eyes age-related cataract (control group)were randomly chosen in this research.The phacoemulsification was performed through the clear corneal combined with the foldable intraocular lens implantation.The cell density(CD),proportion of hexagonal cell,coefficient of variation(CV) of the corneal endothelial cells were examined preoperatively and one week,one month,three months postoperatively.RESULTS:In the two groups,the level of postoperative CD,proportion of hexagonal cell decreased gradually,and the level of CV increased.Compared with the control group,corneal endothelial cells in diabetes group had a significant reduction in proportion of hexagonal cell (P<0.01) and increase in CV(P<0.01).There existed a significant difference in CD (P<0.01),proportion of hexagonal cell (P<0.01),CV(P<0.01) at three months postoperatively between the two groups,and especially more remarkable change was found in the diabetes group.Morphology of endothelial cells at the incision corneal showed a significant lower CD (P<0.05 at one week,one month postoperatively;P<0.01 at three months postoperatively) and proportion of hexagonal cell (P<0.01 at one week,one month postoperatively;P<0.05 at three months postoperatively),higher CV(P<0.01) than those at the central cornea at postoperative different time.CONCLUSION:There exists a continued cell loss in the corneal endothelium after phacoemulsification.The morphology of corneal endothelial cells in diabetes group,compared with that in the control group,present significantly abnormality.So the endothelial cells in diabetes group are easier to be damaged than those in control group during this surgery,and the velocity and validity of recovery in diabetes group are lower comparatively.In phacoemulsification through the clear corneal,the endothelial cells suffer from energy and mechanic injury.We should pay more attention to the mechanic injury for diabetes patient,because it can lead to more corneal endothelial cell loss.