Study highlights link between diabetes mellitus and corneal ulcers

A recent retrospective analysis examined the association between diabetes mellitus, neurotrophic keratopathy, and corneal ulcers. The study reviewed 136,992 health records from patients visiting a university outpatient clinic between January 2003 and February 2024. Of these, 11,338 had diabetes, and 3,168 developed corneal ulcers—a prevalence rate of 2.3% for ulcers and 8% for diabetes.

Diabetes was found to significantly increase the risk of developing corneal ulcers and neurotrophic keratopathy. Older age and male gender were also identified as additional risk factors. Corneal ulcers were also found to be strong predictors of diabetes mellitus.

This research emphasizes the importance of regular ophthalmological check-ups and diabetes screening for patients with corneal issues to detect and manage complications early.

Reference
Haubold C, Agostini H, Reinhard T, et al. Neurotrophe Keratopathie und Hornhautulzera bei Diabetes mellitus [Neurotrophic keratopathy and corneal ulcers in diabetes mellitus]. Ophthalmologie. 2025;doi: 10.1007/s00347-025-02198-7. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40042660.