Study identifies anatomic relationships that may shed light on vascular causes of ocular disease

Children's eyes that have a smaller optic disc, thinner macula and thinner retinal nerve fiber layer also appear to have narrower retinal vessels, according to a new analysis of data from the Sydney Childhood Eye Study.

"These anatomic relationships may provide new insights into the vascular etiology of various ocular diseases," the study authors said.

Ning Cheung, MBBS, and colleagues at four research centers in Australia and Singapore examined the normal anatomic relationships shared by retinal vessel diameters with optic disc, macula and retinal nerve fiber layer parameters among 1,204 healthy 6-year-old children participating in the Sydney Childhood Eye Study. Specifically, the investigators used fundus photographs to measure retinal arteriolar and venular diameters. Measurements of the optic disc, macula and retinal nerve fiber layer parameters were obtained using optical coherence tomography.

Multivariate analyses showed that each standard deviation decrease in optic disc area was associated with a 0.14-pixel decrease (P = .05) in arteriolar diameter and a 0.31-pixel decrease (P < .01) in venular diameter, the authors noted.

Each standard deviation decrease in optic cup area was associated with a 0.15-pixel decrease (P = .05) in arteriolar diameter and a 0.43-pixel decrease (P < .01) in venular diameter.

All standard deviation reductions in macular thickness or volume were associated with a 0.25- to 0.39-pixel decrease (P < .01) in arteriolar diameter and a 0.36- to 0.71-pixel decrease (P < .01) in venular diameter, they reported.

In addition, each standard deviation decrease in retinal nerve fiber layer thickness was significantly linked with a 0.62-pixel decrease (P < .01) in arteriolar diameter and a 0.99-pixel decrease (P < .01) in venular diameter, according to the study, published in the June issue of Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science.