Purpose: To detect very early changes of the visual organ among 156 young patients with diabetes mellitus.
Material and methods: Beyond the traditional ophthalmological examination, the fluorescein angiography and electroretinography were performed.
Results: On the whole, the changes were confirmed in 56 children (35.8%). Diabetic retinopathy was observed in 24 cases (15.4%), changes of the lens revealed in 52 children (33.3%). Among 40 children examined with electro-retinography 25 had decreased amplitude and prolonged latency of oscillatory potentials.
Conclusions: Fluorescein angiography is the more sensitive method of examination than routine ophthalmoscopy. Electro-retinography seems to be important in the diagnosis of early changes of diabetic retinopathy.