The effect of calcium dobesilate on the alteration of the blood-retinal barrier was studied in 41 adult-onset, non-insulin dependent diabetic patients with minimal or no retinopathy, randomly assigned to receive either oral calcium dobesilate (1000 mg twice daily) or a placebo for 12 months. The posterior vitreous value and the penetration ratio, determined by vitreous fluorophotometry, reflected stabilisation of blood-retinal barrier permeability in the calcium dobesilate patients and deterioration of blood retinal barrier in those given placebo. During the relatively short period of the study, one year, no significant change in microaneurysm and capillary closure gradings was observed. No side effects were associated with calcium dobesilate.

Abstract. Forty patients with late-onset diabetes (age at diagnosis 30 years or more) and minimal retinopathy as found by fundus photography were followed prospectively by repeated examination (baseline, 1 year, and 4 years). The study shows that early retinopathy changes are not permanent or invariably progressive. In the 1st year of follow-up microaneurysms worsened in 25%, improved in 10%, and remained stabilized in 65%. Vitreous fluorometry was able to detect an overall increase of 0.84_+1.06 x 10 -6 min -1 in blood-retinal barrier (BRB) penetration ratios. After 4 years, 16 of the 40 patients had undergone photocoagulation (focal photocoagulation in 11 and pan retinal photocoagulation in 5). The eyes that needed photocoagulation were the eyes that had higher fluorometry penetration ratios at the patient's entry into the study and showed a higher rate of deterioration during the 1st year of the study (5.54_+ 1.97 vs 3.11_l.22x10-6min -a, P<0.001, initial values; 1.52_+0.76 vs 0.45+_0.99x10 -6 min -a, P< 0.001, annual increase in leakage). The eyes that did not need photocoagulation, 24 out of 40, showed stable fluorometry readings within the 4-year period of followup (+0.02_+0.98 10 -6 min-1). Abnormally high vitreous fluorometry values and their rapid increase over time appear to be good indicators of rapid progression and worsening of the retinopathy.

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To study the effect of sorbinil on the alteration of the blood-retinal barrier, 32 adult-onset, non-insulin-dependent diabetic patients with minimal or no retinopathy were randomly assigned to receive either oral sorbinil (250 mg once a day) or a placebo for 6 mo. All patients underwent fundus photography, fluorescein angiography, and vitreous fluorophotometry before treatment and at 3 and 6 mo after treatment. Vitreous fluorophotometry data showed that the alteration of the blood-retinal barrier increased significantly less in the sorbinil-treated group compared with the placebo group during the 6-mo study period. Side effects were limited to hypersensitivity reactions, with skin rash and fever, in only 2 of the 16 patients who received the drug. These hypersensitivity reactions disappeared with discontinuation of the medication. Aldose-reductase inhibition may play an important role in stabilization of the blood-retinal barrier in early diabetic retinopathy.