AIM: To investigate the value of ultrasonography in diabetic retinopathy(DR).

METHODS: Totally 103 cases(103 eyes)of type 2 diabetes mellitus were selected from May 2015 to May 2017 in our hospital, there were 32 patients 32 eyes with non diabetic retinopathy(NDR), 40 patients 40 eyes with non proliferative diabetic retinopathy(NPDR), and 31 patients 31 eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR), 40 healthy volunteers(40 eyes)were selected as control group, the maximum systolic blood flow velocity(PSV), end diastolic velocity(EDV)and resistance index(RI)of the central retinal artery(CRA), posterior ciliary artery(PCA)and ophthalmic artery(OA)were detected by color Doppler ultrasound.

RESULTS: The difference of PSV, EDV and RI of CRA, PCA and OA in each group was statistically significant(P<0.05). The PSV of CRA, PCA and OA in NDR group were 12.38±2.10cm/s, 13.36±2.55cm/s and 32.04±6.07cm/s, significantly higher than that of NPDR group(9.70±1.67cm/s, 12.20±2.01cm/s and 27.40±4.32cm/s)and PDR group(7.13±1.40cm/s, 10.31±1.82cm/s and 22.10±3.51cm/s)(P<0.05). EDV were 4.67±1.20cm/s, 5.61±1.25cm/s and 8.40±1.51cm/s, significantly higher than that of NPDR group(3.52±1.19cm/s, 5.01±1.30cm/s and 6.61±1.67cm/s)and PDR group(2.48±1.02cm/s, 4.11±1.04cm/s and 4.01±1.52cm/s)(P<0.05). And RI were 0.63±0.07, 0.60±0.04 and 0.77±0.05, was significantly lower than that of NPDR group(0.72±0.06, 0.67±0.05 and 0.81±0.03)and PDR group(0.80±0.09, 0.74±0.06 and 0.86±0.04)(P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: Color Doppler ultrasound monitoring the hemodynamic changes of ocular blood vessels in diabetes can provide evidence for early detection of diabetic retinopathy.