Lens fluorescence in relation to nephropathy in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus.

The relationship between diabetic nephropathy and blue-green lens fluorescence, lens transmittance, and other lens fluorometry parameters was studied in patients with long-term insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. The findings in 10 patients who presented with diabetic nephropathy were compared with those of 11 patients of comparable age and duration of diabetes but without nephropathy. Diabetic nephropathy was associated with increased lens fluorescence (P = 0.04) and decreased lens transmittance (P = 0.045). We propose that lens changes may be responsible for various psychophysical abnormalities in diabetic patients and that our results explain the correlation of these abnormalities with the degree of microangiopathy.