Retinal nerve fiber layer, retinal pigment epithelium, and choroidal thickness in vitiligo patients

Background Vitiligo is one of the common pigmentary disorders affecting the ocular structures. Aim To determine the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), and choroidal thickness (CT) in vitiligo patients and to evaluate the relationship between choroidal thickness and vitiligo subtypes. Methods The right eyes of 106 participants (51 vitiligo, 55 nonvitiligo) were included in the study. All of the participants underwent detailed eye examinations and spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) examinations. CT was measured manually with enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (Edi-OCT) (subfoveal [SubF], nasal n500 mu m [N1], n1500 mu m [N2]), and temporal (t500 mu m [T1], t1500 mu m [T2]). Results In vitiligo patients, CT values were significantly lower in the SubF, N1, N2, T1, and T2 areas compared to the control group (P = .001, P = .011, P = .002, P = .005, P < .001, respectively). Periorbital involvement did not affect CT (P = .355, P = .746, P = .443, P = .633, P = .558, respectively). However, in patients with periorbital region involvement, the CT was significantly reduced if the lesion had a universal character (P < .001, P = .001, P = .011, P < .001, P = .002, respectively). It was observed that RPE thickness decreased in vitiligo, but this difference was not statistically significant (P = .140). RNFL thickness was unaffected in all quadrants. A positive correlation (r = .286, r = .280, respectively) was observed between the Vitiligo Area Severity Index (VASI) and age and disease duration. A negative correlation (r = -.360, r = -.316, r = -.315, r = -.313, respectively) was found in the CT of the SubF, N1, N2, T1, and T2 areas. Conclusion Vitiligo patients should be closely monitored for possible posterior ocular segment disorders.