Evaluating peripapillary choroidal vascularity index and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in patients with retrobulbar optic neuritis: A comparative study

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to determine whether the peripapillary choroidal vascular index (pCVI) can be used to diagnose and track retrobulbar optic neuritis (RBON) and to compare the clinical and electrophysiological characteristics between patients with RBON and controls.

Materials and Methods: The study involved 60 eyes, and evaluations included magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), optical coherence tomography (OCT), visual field (VF) testing, and pattern visual-evoked potential (VEP) testing.

Results: Twenty eyes with RBON, twenty fellow eyes, and twenty healthy control eyes were enrolled. Age, gender, and axial length were not significantly different between the groups. Best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was substantially lower in RBON eyes than in both fellow and control eyes (p < 0.0167). The peripapillary choroidal vascular index (pCVI) was also significantly reduced in the RBON eyes compared with the control eyes (p < 0.001). Although RBON eyes showed longer P100 latency (p = 0.019) and reduced temporal peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness (p = 0.045), these differences did not reach statistical significance.

Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate a significant reduction in pCVI and visual acuity in RBON eyes compared with controls, suggesting a potential role of vascular dysfunction in the disease process. Although other structural and electrophysiological changes were observed, they did not remain statistically significant.