Analysis of retinal nerve fibre layer thickness and optic disc parameters in patients of iron deficiency anaemia

Abstract

Background: To evaluate peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness and optic disc parameters in iron deficiency anaemia (IDA) patients and its correlation with various blood parameters of age and sex matched healthy controls with the help of spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Materials and methods: Cross sectional, hospital based study was done on patients with IDA and healthy patients attending departments of Ophthalmology and haematology of a tertiary referral hospital in Eastern India from June 2020 to January 2021. Comprehensive ophthalmic examination was done in all patients. Peripapillary RNFL thickness was measured using SD-OCT. Blood analysis for all patients included blood haemoglobin, serum iron binding capacity, Serum Ferritin, total iron binding capacity (TIBC), mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular haemoglobin (MCH) and mean corpuscular haemoglobin Concentration (MCHC). Results: Twenty five patients with IDA and 25 age and sex matched healthy patients constituted the study and control groups respectively. Mean age of study and control groups was 40.44±5.51 and 39.12±11.60 years respectively. Strong positive correlation was noted between mean RNFL thickness and haemoglobin, serum ferritin, serum iron and serum transferrin levels. Negative correlation was noted between mean RNFL thickness and total iron binding capacity. Conclusion: Patients with IDA in Eastern India have decreased mean peripapillary RNFL thickness. Mean RNFL thickness in different quadrants may not only be dependent on iron parameters but might also be influenced by dietary and geographical factors.