Retinal nerve fiber layer, ganglion cell complex, and choroidal thicknesses in migraine

To evaluate the thicknesses of the peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell complex (GCL), and choroid layer using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) for investigating the effects of vascular changes on the eye and optic nerve in patients who have migraine with aura.

Forty-five patients who had migraine with aura (migraine group) and 45 healthy individuals (control group) were enrolled in the study. Age, gender, duration after migraine diagnosis, intraocular pressure, and axial length measurements were recorded in each case. RNFL, GCL, and choroid layer thicknesses were measured using SD-OCT in all participants.

The mean age was 36.1 ± 6.7 (20-45) years in the migraine group and 35.7 ± 8.6 (19-45) years in the control group. There was no significant difference in the RNFL thicknesses of the temporal and nasal quadrants (p >0.05). The RNFL thicknesses of the superior and inferior quadrants were significantly lower in the migraine group compared with those in the control group (p =0.001, p <0.01, respectively). Measurements for the superior and inferior GCL were not significantly different between the groups (p >0.05). Subfoveal, temporal, and nasal choroidal thickness measurements at 500 µm, 1000 µm, and 1500 µm were significantly lower in the migraine group than in the control group (p =0.001; p <0.01, respectively).

Compared with the controls, the RNFL and choroid layer were determined to be thinner in patients who had chronic migraine with aura.