Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2025
Author Spotlight: Ex Vivo OCT-Based Multimodal Imaging of Human Donor Eyes for Research into Age-Related Macular Degeneration
Published on: May 26, 2023
Long-term effects of early/late-onset visual deprivation on macular and retinal nerve fibers layer structure: A pilot
Adriano Magli1, Paolo Esposito Veneruso2, Michele Rinaldi3
1Department of Ophthalmology, Orthoptic and Pediatric Ophthalmology, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
Background/Aims:
Tomographic analysis of macular and peripapillary retinal nerve fibers layer (RNFL) thickness in patients with history of congenital (CC) and developmental cataract (DC).
Methods:
Analysis of macular and RNFL thickness using a spectral-domain optical coherence tomography was performed. Retinal layers thickness was measured using the internal segmentation software. Measurements of affected (unilateral and bilateral), contralateral eyes and control eyes were compared.
Results:
Patients with history of CC or DC (n = 13 and 11 respectively) and 35 healthy control subjects were enrolled. Thicker inner and outer nuclear layers (INL, ONL) and thicker ONL were found when CC and DC group when compared to controls respectively. Bilateral CC showed the most relevant differences. Slight thickening of CC inner retinal layers were found when compared to DC. Increased superonasal RNFL thickness was found in CC group when compared to DC and controls. Thickening of RNFL of contralateral unaffected eyes of unilateral CC were found when compared to controls.
Conclusion:
Significant macular and RNFL thickness changes between CC, DC patients and controls that partially involve also contralateral unaffected eyes of unilateral congenital cataract were found. CC and DC groups show significant differences only in inner retinal layers thickness. Our data suggest that early visual deprivation may influence retinal arrangements occurring during development involving predominantly the outer nuclear layer and para/perifoveal inner retinal layers, and confirm that early treatment of CC allow to achieve better long-term visual outcome. Moreover functional and structural data support the hypothesis that unilateral amblyopia is not exclusively an unilateral issue.
