Effects of smoking during pregnancy on the optic nerve neurodevelopment

Tobacco smoking during pregnancy alters neurodevelopment. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) provides precise measurements of the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), which forms part of the central nervous system.

To assess using the OCT how smoking during pregnancy would affect optic nerve development as detected in human offspring.

Visual examination and OCT were performed on a group of children (n=70; 4.15-13.50 years of age), classified as being exposed or not to maternal smoking during gestational period. The association between smoking during pregnancy and RNFL thickness was assessed by a linear regression analysis adjusted for possible confounding factors.

Although visual outcomes did not differ between groups, a significant decrease in the RNFL thickness was found in the group of infants exposed to smoke (105.3 vs 95.6; p=0.002), even when adjusting for gestational age, birth weight or gender.

OCT measurements show that intrautero exposure to tobacco smoke interferes with the development of the optic nerve.