Author(s)

Prudence Ada Assoumou^1*, Davy Alex Mouinga Abayi², Daniella Nsame³, Annick Kougou Ntoutoume⁴, Hélène Nyinko Aboughe⁴, Olive Matsanga⁴, Tatiana Harly Mba Aki⁴, Emmanuel Mve Mengome²

¹Owendo University Hospital Center, Department of Surgery at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Health Sciences, Libreville, Gabon.
²Omar Bongo Ondimba Military Instructions Hospital, Department of Surgery at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Health Sciences, Libreville, Gabon.
³Endocrinology Department at the Libreville Hospital Center, Department of Internal Medicine at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Health Sciences, Libreville, Gabon.
⁴Jeanne Ebori Foundation Mother and Child University Hospital Center, Department of Surgery at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Health Sciences, Libreville, Gabon.

Introduction: Diabetes represents a major public health challenge, affecting over 463 million people according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Among its complications, diabetic retinopathy stands out as the leading cause of blindness in industrialized countries. Physical activity is now recognized as a cornerstone of diabetes management, and its impact on diabetic retinopathy is of growing interest. Observation: Mr. A.E, a 54-year-old man, presents with progressive deterioration of his vision. Family history of diabetes and hypertension is noted. He engages in one hour of physical activity daily, including treadmill running and indoor cycling. Despite recent optical correction, his visual acuity remains at 3/10 unimproved. Ocular imaging, notably fluorescein retinal angiography and optical coherence tomography, reveals proliferative diabetic retinopathy with bilateral macular edema. Blood tests, performed after physical activity, show normal values of blood glucose and HbA1c, delaying the initiation of treatment and promoting the progression of retinopathy. Despite appropriate management, no significant improvement in visual function is observed during follow-up. Conclusion: The management of diabetic retinopathy requires an approach integrating physical activity. A better understanding of the interaction between physical activity and diabetic retinopathy is needed to optimize prevention and treatment strategies.

Diabetes, Retina, Blood Glucose, HbA1c, Physical Activity

Assoumou, P. , Abayi, D. , Nsame, D. , Ntoutoume, A. , Aboughe, H. , Matsanga, O. , Aki, T. and Mengome, E. (2024) Diabetic Retinopathy: Diagnostic Challenges and Impact of Physical Activity. Open Journal of Ophthalmology, 14, 136-142. doi: 10.4236/ojoph.2024.142013.