First Ocular Presentation of Diabetes

Abstract

Background: Diabetes mellitus is a chronic systemic disease with early ocular manifestations that may precede systemic symptoms. Objective: To identify and analyze the first ocular presentations of diabetes in newly diagnosed patients. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on patients with newly diagnosed diabetes mellitus. Comprehensive ophthalmic examinations were performed, including slit-lamp biomicroscopy, fundus examination, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and fluorescein angiography. Results: The most frequent initial ocular manifestation was early diabetic retinopathy, characterized by retinal microaneurysms. Other presentations included refractive changes due to lens hydration, early cataract formation, and cranial nerve palsies leading to diplopia. A significant proportion of patients were asymptomatic at the time of ocular diagnosis. Conclusion: The first ocular presentation of diabetes is most often diabetic retinopathy, specifically microaneurysms. Routine ophthalmic screening at the time of diabetes diagnosis is essential to prevent irreversible vision loss.