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Retinal vessel caliber linked to optic nerve head, retinal and macular morphology
Am J Ophthalmol. 2009;148(3):368-375.
Optic disc, macular and retinal nerve fiber layer characteristics appeared to influence retinal vascular caliber, according to a study.
"Thinner optic disc rims and RNFL measurements were associated with narrower retinal arterioles and venules, and larger cup-to-disc ratios with narrower venules," the study authors said.
The observational cross-sectional study included 104 children with a mean age of 11.51 years enrolled in the Singapore Cohort Study of the Risk Factors of Myopia.
Stratus optical coherence tomography (OCT 3, Carl Zeiss Meditec) was used to measure optic disc, macular and RNFL morphology. Digital retinal photography and validated imaging software were used to measure retinal arteriolar and venular caliber.
A smaller horizontal integrated rim width and rim area correlated with narrower retinal arterioles and venules (P < .05). Shorter horizontal rim length correlated with narrower venules (P = .04).
Results showed no relationship between optic disc diameter and arteriolar or venular caliber. Larger vertical cup-to-disc ratios (P = .01) and cup-to-disc-area ratios (P = .003) correlated with narrower venules but not arterioles.
Data showed a relationship between thinner average RNFL measurement and narrower arterioles and venules. Smaller total macular volume correlated with narrower venules, the authors said.