Glial proliferation and atrophy: Two poles of optic disc in patients with retinitis pigmentosa

Analysis of risk and protective factors associated with retinal nerve fiber layer defect in a Chinese adult population

AIM

To investigate the risk and protective factors associated with the retinal nerve fiber layer defect (RNFLD) in a Chinese adult population.

METHODS

This study was a cross-sectional population-based investigation including employees and retirees of a coal mining company in Kailuan City, Hebei Province. All the study participants underwent a comprehensive systemic and ophthalmic examination. RNFLD was diagnosed on fundus photographs. Binary logistic regression was used to investigate the risk and protective factors associated with the RNFLD.

RESULTS

The community-based study included 14 440 participants. There were 10 473 participants in our study, including 7120 males (68.0%) and 3353 females (32.0%). The age range was 45-108y, averaging 59.56±8.66y. Totally 568 participants had RNFLD and the prevalence rate was 5.42%. A higher prevalence of RNFLD was associated with older age [P<0.001, odds ratio (OR): 1.032; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.018-1.046], longer axial length (P=0.010, OR: 1.190; 95%CI: 1.042-1.359), hypertension (P=0.007, OR: 0.639; 95%CI: 0.460-0.887), and diabetes mellitus (P=0.019, OR: 0.684; 95%CI: 0.499-0.939). The protective factors of RNFLD were visual acuity (P=0.038, OR: 0.617; 95%CI: 0.391-0.975), and central anterior chamber depth (P=0.046, OR: 0.595; 95%CI: 0.358-0.990).

CONCLUSION

In our cross-sectional community-based study, with an age range of 45-108y, RNFLD is associated with older age, longer axial length, hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. The protective factors of RNFLD are visual acuity and central anterior chamber depth. These can help to predict and evaluate RNFLD related diseases and identify high-risk populations early.

Investigation of Structural Alterations in Inherited Retinal Diseases: A Quantitative SD-OCT-Analysis of Retinal Layer Thicknesses in Light of Underlying Genetic Mutations

Inherited retinal diseases can result from various genetic defects and are one of the leading causes for blindness in the working-age population. The present study aims to provide a comprehensive description of changes in retinal structure associated with phenotypic disease entities and underlying genetic mutations. Full macular spectral domain optical coherence tomography scans were obtained and manually segmented in 16 patients with retinitis pigmentosa, 7 patients with cone−rod dystrophy, and 7 patients with Stargardt disease, as well as 23 age- and sex-matched controls without retinal disease, to assess retinal layer thicknesses. As indicated by generalized least squares models, all IRDs were associated with retinal thinning (p < 0.001), especially of the outer nuclear layer (ONL, p < 0.001). Except for the retinal nerve fiber layer, such thinning was associated with a reduced visual acuity (p < 0.001). These advances in our understanding of ultrastructural retinal changes are important for the development of gene-, cell-, and optogenetic therapy. Longitudinal studies are warranted to describe the temporal component of those changes.

A Very Rare Association of Fuchs Heterochromic Uveitis and Ectropion Uvea in Usher Syndrome

Usher syndrome is a heterogeneous genetic disease that is the most common cause of hereditary blindness–deafness. This syndrome is the most prevalent syndrome associated with retinitis pigmentosa. A 25-year-old man referred to us with hearing loss and vision diminution since childhood which has gradually worsened. Visual acuity of both eyes was 20/100. Slit lamp examination of the left eye revealed endothelial stellate keratic precipitates, mild anterior chamber reaction, iris heterochromia, ectropion of uvea, and mild posterior subcapsular cataract. There were also no crypts and abnormal vessels in the left eye iris. His intraocular pressure was 14 mmHg in the right eye and 18 mmHg in the left one. Funduscopy demonstrated waxy pallor optic nerve, marked arterial narrowing, and retinal bone spicule pigment formation in both eyes. We report for the first time a very rare association between Usher syndrome, Fuchs heterochromic uveitis (FHU), and ectropion uvea. To our knowledge, no association has been reported between ectropion uvea, FHU, and Usher syndrome.