Retinal Diseases and Parkinson Disease: A Population-Based Study

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Neurology
• Neurodegenerative Diseases

Background:

• Ophthalmic symptoms are common in Parkinson disease (PD).
• Retinal diseases are associated with central nervous system disorders, particularly neurodegenerative conditions.
• Investigating the temporal relationship between retinal diseases and PD is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the association between retinal diseases and Parkinson disease (PD).
• To determine the temporal relationship of retinal diseases before and after PD diagnosis.

Main Methods:

• Utilized the National Health Insurance Research Database of Taiwan.
• Conducted a bidirectional study including a case-control analysis and a cohort study.
• Matched 21,845 newly diagnosed PD patients with controls using propensity scores.

Main Results:

• Patients with PD showed a higher risk of retinal disease before diagnosis (recent: aOR 1.12; remote: aOR 1.18).
• No significant association was found between optic nerve disease or glaucoma and PD.
• PD patients had a reduced risk of retinal disease after diagnosis (short-term: aSHR 0.81; long-term: aSHR 0.82).

Conclusions:

• Retinal disease may serve as a premotor manifestation of Parkinson disease.
• The risk of retinal disease is elevated prior to PD diagnosis but diminishes afterward.
• Dopamine supplementation might influence retinal health in PD patients.