Noninvasive Detection of Retinal Vascular Changes in Eyes with Non-arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy

This study aimed to evaluate retinal vessel morphology in Non-arteritic Anterior Ischemic Optic Neuropathy (NAION) using Integrative Vessel Analysis (IVAN) and to explore the relationships between retinal vascular parameters and systemic factors related to NAION.

This case-control study included 120 eyes from 120 participants, categorized into control, hypertension, and NAION groups (40 eyes each). IVAN was used to measure retinal vessel caliber through the central retinal artery equivalent (CRAE) and central retinal vein equivalent (CRVE).

The mean CRAE and CRVE across all participants were 154.54 ± 21.53 μm and 252.22 ± 15.88 μm, respectively. NAION participants exhibited higher CRAE and CRVE compared to the control and hypertension groups. In the NAION group, body mass index (BMI) showed a negative correlation with CRAE and a positive correlation with CRVE.

IVAN serves as a reliable method for assessing retinal vascular caliber. Our findings suggest that retinal vascular caliber may provide valuable insights into the role of subclinical retinal vascular processes in the development of NAION.