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Paravascular inner retinal abnormalities in healthy eyes
Rie Osaka1, Saki Manabe2, Yukiko Miyoshi2
1Department of Ophthalmology, Kagawa University Faculty of Medicine, 1750-1 Ikenobe Miki-cho, Kita-gun, Kagawa, 761-0793, Japan. rie-osaka@med.kagawa-u.ac.
Summary
Paravascular inner retinal abnormalities, such as cystoid spaces, are common in healthy eyes. However, typical paravascular retinal defects were not observed in this study.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Retinal Imaging
- Anatomy
Background:
- The inner retina's paravascular regions are critical for visual function.
- Understanding normal variations in retinal structure is essential for diagnosing pathology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence and characteristics of paravascular inner retinal abnormalities in healthy eyes.
- To characterize lesions adjacent to temporal arcade vessels using optical coherence tomography (OCT).
Main Methods:
- A prospective observational case series included 178 healthy eyes.
- Dense radial OCT scanning with extended field imaging was used to examine posterior pole and paravascular areas.
- Eyes with pre-existing ocular conditions were excluded.
Main Results:
- Paravascular inner retinal abnormalities were detected in 43.3% of healthy eyes via OCT.
- Cystoid or fissure-like spaces, unconnected to the vitreous, were found in 39.9% of eyes.
- Retinal cleavages with vitreous connections were rare (2.2%), often near major veins.
Conclusions:
- Paravascular cystoid or fissure-like spaces are frequently observed in the inner retina of healthy individuals.
- No typical broad paravascular inner retinal defects were identified in the healthy cohort.
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