The Effects of Long-term Hemodialysis on Visual Acuity and Central Macular Thickness in Diabetic Retinopathy Patients

ABSTRACT

PURPOSE: To investigate the changes of visual acuity and central macular thickness (CMT) in patients with diabetic retinopathy (DR) receiving long-term hemodialysis (HD). METHODS: From January 1, 2008, to December 31, 2018, the medical records of patients who were diagnosed with DR receiving HD three times a week for ≥18 months due to chronic kidney disease (CKD) were analyzed. Among them, patients diagnosed with DR 6 months before the start of HD were included. Patients with vitreous hemorrhage (VH) affecting visual acuity (VA), other retinal diseases, and cataract surgery after HD were excluded. The VA and CMT before HD and at 1, 3, 6, 12, and 18 months after HD were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 222 eyes of 111 patients who were diagnosed with DR and received HD for CKD due to diabetes, 174 eyes with DR diagnosed after starting HD were excluded. Ten eyes with VH before starting HD, two eyes with epiretinal membrane, and four eyes with cataract surgery after starting HD were also excluded. Thirty-two eyes of 18 patients were included. The mean age of the patients was 53.71 ± 9.25 years. Twenty-four males and eight female patients were included in the study. The mean logMAR VA improved significantly from 0.36 ± 0.28 before starting HD to 0.26 ± 0.27 at 18 months after starting HD (p = 0.002). The mean CMT was significantly decreased from 307.12 ± 89.52 µm before starting HD to 279.71 ± 61.75 µm at 12 months after starting HD (p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with DR who underwent long-term HD, CMT decreased and VA improved, when compared with these parameters before HD.