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Decreases in macular thickness, electrical activity found in anorectic women
Br J Ophthalmol. 2011;95(8):1128-1133.
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Women with anorexia nervosa had decreased foveal and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness as well as reduced electrical activity in the macula, despite experiencing no vision loss, a study found.
“Although we cannot pinpoint the cause of the photoreceptors’ abnormality, we presume that the substantial evidence against vitamin A deficiency in these cases may support the idea that other nutritional abnormalities or impaired dopaminergic neurotransmission play a more substantial role in the function of the photoreceptors,” the study authors said.
The study included 13 women with anorexia nervosa and no vision loss and 20 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Macular thickness was measured by optical coherence tomography; electrical activity of the macula was measured by multifocal electroretinogram.
Mean foveal thickness was 140.04 µm in the anorexia group and 150.85 µm in the control group (P = .005). Retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was 121.08 µm in the anorexia group and 137.6 µm in the control group in the inferior area around the optic nerve (P < .001). Mean P1-response density amplitude of the foveal area was 159.04 nV/deg2 in the anorexia group and 292.43 nV/deg2 in the control group (P < 0.0001). Test results in both groups were normal for visual acuity, visual fields, color vision and dark adaptation.
The authors noted the limited sample size of the study and recommended that further research address whether the deficits in macular thickness and electrical activity will progress to visual failure or normalize with recovery.