Choroidal and retinal thickness in patients with vitamin C deficiency using swept-source optical coherence tomography
Yiwen Qian1, Luoziyi Wang1, Xinfang Qiang1
1Department of Ophthalmology, Huashan Hospital of Fudan University, No. 12 Middle Urumqi Road, Shanghai, 200040, China.
Background:
To investigate the effects of vitamin C on central retinal thickness and choroidal thickness.
Methods:
A total of 69 patients diagnosed with vitamin C deficiency and 1:1 age- and gender-matched 69 healthy individuals with normal serum vitamin C were included in this study. Demographic characteristics of the individuals were collected. All patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination. Subfoveal choroidal thickness and retinal thickness were measured using a swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT).
Results:
The average retinal thickness was 269.07 ± 13.51 μm in the vitamin C deficiency group and 276.92 ± 13.51 μm in the control group. The average choroidal thickness was 195.62 ± 66.40 μm in the in the vitamin C deficiency group and 238.86 ± 55.08 μm in the control group. There was a significant decrease in both average choroidal thickness and retinal thickness in vitamin C deficiency group compared with normal individuals (p < 0.001, and = 0.001 respectively).
Conclusion:
The central retinal and choroidal thickness were thinner in vitamin C deficiency group compared with normal individuals. These findings suggested that vitamin C deficiency might play an important role in retinal and choroidal diseases.
