Read my eyes
A new study by scientists from the University of Exeter in England has shown that the analysis of the lens of the eye can predict the development of type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance (a condition known as prediabetes, which often entails type 2 diabetes). It can take up to 10 years between the onset of the disease and the diagnosis, and an increased level of insulin in the body contributes to the development of many diseases, including complications of diabetes mellitus, such as retinopathy (damage to the optic nerve) and neuropathy (damage to somatic nerves), so early detection and timely intervention will be most welcome.
To obtain the data, a newly developed biomicroscope was used, which detects the end products of glycation in the eye with a simple scan. It noninvasively focuses a beam of blue light on a lens and measures autofluorescence in reflected green light.
The study involved 20 people with type 2 diabetes, 20 people with prediabetes and 20 healthy people, all of the same age. The participants underwent a comprehensive medical and neurological examination, including measurement of autofluorescence of the lens of the eye using a biomicroscope. The results showed that in patients with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, autofluorescence is significantly higher. The level of final glycated end products correlated with blood sugar levels.
Despite the fact that this is a pilot study, this method shows great promise. Autofluorescence of the lens can be a reliable marker of diabetes, predicting future risks of complications. Of course, larger and longer-term clinical studies are needed to confirm these findings.
The article Tavakoli et. al 556-P: Noninvasive Measurements of AGE Products in the Crystalline Lens of the Eye Can Distinguish Subjects with Prediabetes and Type 2 Diabetes and Correlated with Severity of Neuropathy is published in the American Diabetes Association Journal.
Elena Panasyuk, portal "Eternal youth" http://vechnayamolodost.ru based on Eurekalert: Scanning the lens of the eye could predict type 2 diabetes and prediabetes.