This is an explanation of recent Sjogren's research into the eyes and retinal thinning, how they are different in people with Sjogren’s. This research is significant as it may help diagnose the autoimmune condition.
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| Optical coherence tomography angiography machine IMAGE: BMJ JOURNALS |
INTRODUCTION
The research was done at the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, China, to investigate some eye differences between patients with Sjogren's syndrome and healthy controls.
Sjogren's participants' eyes had many signs of Sjogren’s, including less tear production, and tear volume, significantly worse visual acuity, more eye damage, and a shorter tear film breakup time which assesses evaporation in dry eye disease.
Visual acuity is the clarity of your eyesight, measured by your ability to identify letters or numbers on a standardised eye chart from a specific viewing distance.- All About Vision
METHODS
It was a small study of 12 women with Sjogren’s and 12 women in the healthy control group. The average age of participants was 55 and the 12 with Sjogren's had a diagnosis time of around four years.
Scientists used optical coherence tomography angiography to measure OCTA. It is a noninvasive imaging technique that uses light reflected off blood cells to provide detailed information within the eye.
They measured the retinal thickness in the macula and the density of retinal blood vessels and examined different retinal regions, including the inner and outer rings of the retina and its center.
RESULTS
The results proved that the thickness of the eye’s retina and the density of retinal blood vessels are significantly lower in women with Sjogren’s syndrome than healthy women.
There was one area that measured significantly thinner in the Sjogren’s patients - the inner retinal layer in the upper quadrant of the inner ring.
The full retinal thickness was connected with the vascular density, suggesting that retinal thinning is related to decreased vascular density in Sjogren’s.
This means that retinal thinning in the macular area—which affects vision—can also reflect the severity of dry eyes in SS and has clinical value for assisted imaging diagnosis.
CONCLUSION
Retinal thinning, measured by the non-invasive imaging technique called optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), may help diagnose Sjogren’s, according to the researchers.
THIS IS A BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE RESEARCH. YOU CAN SEE THE FULL REPORT HERE:
Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Biomarkers of Retinal Thickness and Microvascular Alterations in Sjogren's Syndrome. Frontiers in Neurology, 08 March 2022 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fneur.2022.853930
RESOURCES: Retinal Thinning May Help Diagnose Sjögren’s
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