Noninvasive assessment of the retina and the choroid using enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography shows microvascular impairments in childhood obesity

Purpose To evaluate the retinal vascular diameters and macular and subfoveal choroidal thicknesses of obese and nonobese children using enhanced-depth imaging spectral domain optical coherence tomography (EDI SD-OCT). Methods The retinal vascular diameters of the 4 largest retinal arterioles and venules and macular and subfoveal choroidal thickness measurements of 40 obese children (body mass index [BMI] z score above +2.0 standard deviations) were obtained by EDI SD-OCT and compared with those of 40 age- and sex-matched nonobese children. Anthropometric measures, including weight and height, were also obtained. BMI z score was defined using standardized protocols. Results The mean BMI z scores of obese children were 2.59 ± 0.62; of nonobese children, −0.20 ± 0.92. The mean diameter of retinal arterioles was significantly smaller ( P = 0.002) in obese children compared to nonobese children, whereas the mean diameter of retinal venules was larger ( P = 0.008). The macular and subfoveal choroidal thicknesses were significantly thinner ( P = 0.031 and 0.014, resp.) in obese children compared to nonobese children. Conclusions The narrower retinal arterioles, wider retinal venules, and thinner macular and subfoveal choroidal thicknesses in obese children seem to be associated with microvascular impairments in childhood obesity.