Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2026

Using Retinal Imaging to Study Dementia
Published on: November 6, 2017
Retinal vessel caliber and peripheral neuropathy in diabetic participants
Charumathi Sabanayagam1, E Shyong Tai, Jeannette Lee
1Department of Ophthalmology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore.
Background:
Retinal vascular caliber changes predict diabetic microvascular complications such as retinopathy, and nephropathy. However, the association between retinal vasculature and peripheral neuropathy is not well studied.
Methods:
We evaluated the association between retinal vascular caliber and peripheral neuropathy in a multi-ethnic Asian population with diabetes (n = 423) in Singapore. Retinal arteriolar and venular caliber was measured from digital retinal photographs and summarized as central retinal arteriolar equivalent (CRAE) and central retinal venular equivalent. Peripheral neuropathy was defined from neurothesiometer or monofilament sensory testing.
Results:
Larger CRAE was positively associated with peripheral neuropathy independent of age, sex, ethnicity, current smoking, alcohol consumption, body mass index, total cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and duration of diabetes. The multivariable odds ratio (OR) [95% confidence interval (CI)] of peripheral neuropathy was 2.81 (1.38-5.73) comparing highest vs. lower three quartiles of CRAE. This association was consistently present in analyses stratified by age, sex and ethnicity. Retinal venular caliber was not associated with peripheral neuropathy.
Conclusions:
These data suggest that larger retinal arteriolar diameters are associated with peripheral neuropathy independent of major risk factors.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Diabetic Retinopathy
Diabetic Neuropathy
Peripheral Arterial Disease II: Clinical Manifestations and Diagnostic Evaluation
Diabetic Nephropathy
Peripheral Artery Disease I: Introduction

