Evaluation of Anterior and Posterior Ocular Segment Findings in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

To evaluate the effects of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on the anterior and posterior segment structures of the eye.

This retrospective study included 80 eyes from 40 patients diagnosed with RA who were referred to our clinic for detailed ophthalmological examinations between January 2018 and May 2020. A control group comprising 80 eyes from 40 healthy individuals who presented for routine ophthalmological evaluation was also included. Comprehensive ophthalmological examinations, corneal topography, and optical coherence tomography İmages were analyzed.

Compared with the control group, the RA group demonstrated a significant reduction in anterior chamber depth, iridocorneal angle, and subfoveal choroidal thickness. Conversely, an increase in retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness was detected in the superior and temporal quadrants. However, no statistically significant differences were found between groups in central corneal thickness, corneal volume, horizontal and vertical keratometry values within the 5-mm zone, central macular thickness, and RNFL thickness in the global, nasal, and inferior quadrants.

In patients with RA, ocular inflammation is associated with reduced tear production and alterations in ocular structures. The observed decreases in anterior chamber depth, iridocorneal angle, and subfoveal choroidal thickness, along with increased RNFL thickness in the superior and temporal quadrants, are likely attributable to underlying inflammatory mechanisms.