AIM: To investigate the influence of glycosylated hemoglobin(HbA1c)levels on macular retinal thickness after phacoemulsification in diabetic patients.

METHODS: one hundred and twenty one patients(160 eyes)underwent phacoemulsification were divided into normal control group(40 patients with 50 eyes)and diabetic group(81 cases with 110 eyes).The patients in the diabetic group was divided into two subgroups, low HbA1c group(HbA1c≤7.0%)and high HbA1c group(HbA1c>7.0%). All patients underwent optical coherence tomography(OCT)before and 1mo after cataract surgery to check foveal retinal thickness and total macular volume. The relation between HbA1c levels and macular retinal thickness was analyzed.

RESULTS: Foveal retinal thickness before and at 1mo after cataract surgery in patients with diabetes were thicker, compared with normal control group, and the difference was statistically significant(P<0.05). Foveal retinal thickness and total macular volume before and at 1mo after surgery in high HbA1c group were thicker than those in low HbA1c group, and differences were statistically significant(P<0.05). Foveal retinal thickness before and at 1mo after surgery in low HbA1c group was thicker than those in normal control group, but the differences was not statistically significant(P>0.05). HbA1c and preoperative foveal retinal thickness(r=0.254,P<0.01), preoperative total macular volume(r=0.276, P<0.01), postoperative foveal retinal thickness(r=0.349, P<0.01), postoperative total macular volume(r=0.286, P<0.01)were positively correlated.

CONCLUSION: HbA1c and diabetic macular thickness after cataract surgery were positively correlated. If preoperative HbA1c is higher than 7.0% in diabetic patients with cataract, macular thickness should be actively followed up and giuen timely intervention, in order to protect visual function.