Retinal Vessel Diameters and Optic Disk Morphology: a population-based study

Abstract

Purpose :
To study the associations between the retinal vessel diameters (RVD) and the optic disc measurements (rim area (RA), maximum cup depth (MCD), retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness) in a rural Chinese population.

Methods : The population-based Handan Eye Study included 6830 individuals aged 30 years and older. The participants underwent physical examinations and comprehensive ocular examinations including the measurement of RVD and Heidelberg retinal tomography evaluation of the optic disc.

Results : On the univariable analysis, narrower central retinal arteriolar equivalent (CRAE) and central retinal venular equivalent (CRVE) were significantly associated with larger MCD, narrower RA and smaller RNFL thickness after adjusting other confounding factors. Multivariable analysis showed the significant independent determinants of CRAE were CRVE (P < 0.001; beta: 0.73; B: 0.48; 95% CI: 0.47, 0.49), hypertension (P < 0.001; beta: -0.14; B: -6.04; 95% CI: -7.01, -5.07), fasting blood glucose (P < 0.001; beta = -0.04; B = -0.7; 95%CI: -1.07, -0.32) and high density lipoprotein (P = 0.015; beta = 0.03; B = 2.07; 95%CI: 0.40, 3.73), MCD (P < 0.001; beta = -0.04; B = -4.19; 95% CI: -6.42, -1.96) but not RA or RNFL thickness; narrower CRVE was significantly associated with narrower CRAE, hypertension, lower body mass index, higher waist-to-hip ratio, narrower RA, smaller RNFL thickness but not MCD after adjusting the systemic and ocular parameters in non-glaucomatous and primary open angle glaucoma subjects. The results remain similar in the whole population and non-glaucomatous population.

Conclusions : The narrower the RA, the narrower the CRVE, while the deeper the optic cup, the more significant the narrowness of the CRAE in the population. These findings may provide insights into the retinal vascular changes in early glaucomatous optic neuropathy.

This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.