Changes in visual function and retinal structure in patients with manic‐depressive illness or bipolar disorder

Abstract

PurposeTo evaluate changes in visual function and changes in the macula and in the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) measured by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD‐OCT) in patients with Bipolar Disorder.Methods30 eyes of 15 patients with Bipolar Disorder and 72 eyes of 36 healthy subjects were analyzed. All of them were evaluated for the best corrected visual acuity (VA) using the 100%, 2.5% and 1.25% saturation ETDRS test. The contrast sensitivity was evaluated with the Pelli Robson test and the CSV1000E test. The color vision was evaluated with the Farnsworth and Lanthony D15 tests. All participants were assessed with the SD‐OCT to obtain macular thickness and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) measurements.ResultsThe patients with Bipolar Disorder presented lower VA in low contrasts (2.50% and 1.25%, p < 0.05). Significant differences in color vision were also found with the Lanthony Test in the AC CCi, CIndex and CCI indices (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in contrast sensitivity with Pelli Robson or CSV1000E nor in the vision of color with the Farnsworth test. In the RNFL a significant thinning was observed in the temporal areas of the optic nerve (temporal, temporal superior and temporal inferior, p < 0.05) in patients with Bipolar Disorder compared to healthy patients. No differences were observed at the macular area.ConclusionsPatients with Bipolar Disorder present alterations in the visual function as well as axonal loss measured by optical coherence tomography.