AIM: To study central corneal thickness(CCT)and correlation in different degrees of diabetic retinopathy(DR).

METHODS: A total of 65 cases(130 eyes)with different degrees of DR and 35 normal cases(70 eyes)as the age-and gender-matched control group were examined by corneal endothelial microscope, to measure CCT and statistics

RESULTS: Compared to control group, there were no significant difference of CCT both mild and medium nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy(NPDR)groups(P>0.05). While the CCT of severe NPDR group and proliferative diabetic retinopathy(PDR)group were thicker than control group, and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05); Pairwise comparison in different degrees of DR groups: the CCT of severe NPDR and mild NPDR groups were thicker than PDR group, and the differences were statistically significant(P<0.05); compared to medium NPDR, the CCT of PDR was thicker(P<0.05); The thickness of CCT increases with severity of DR, there was positive linear correlation(r=0.173, P<0.05).

CONCLUSION: The CCT increases with severity of DR. Taking care of protecting corneal endothelium is very important in the time of therapeutic measure, especially intraocular operation, to decrease complication.