Evaluation of the effect of energy drink consumption on retina and choroid: an optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography study

Abstract

Purpose Evaluation of retinal and choroidal changes after energy drink consumption by optical coherence tomography and optical coherence tomography angiography. Methods and material Forty-two healthy volunteers with neither systemic nor ocular diseases were enrolled in the study. The energy drink (250 mL Red Bull energy drink) was provided to all volunteers. The vascular density of superficial (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP), vascular density in FAZ region, its circumference (PERIM) and vascular density around 300 micron (FD-300), and blood flow in outer retinal and choriocapillaris were measured by OCT-A (AngioVue RTVue XR Avanti, Optovue, Fremont, CA) before and 30 min after consumption of energy drink, in an interval of 1, 2, 3, 6, and 24 h. Central macular thickness (CMT) was measured by OCT (Heidelberg Engineering, Inc., Heidelberg, Germany), whereas choroid thickness (CT) and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) measurements of the optic nerve were measured by enhanced depth imaging OCT. For control comparison, the same measurements were made after drinking 250 mL of water in the same healthy group. The obtained data were statistically analysed. Results Among 42 volunteers enrolled in the study, 25 (59,5%) were males and 17 (40,5%) were females, with an average age of 20,58 ± 0,71. The vascular density measurements of parafoveal and perifoveal deep capillary plexus obtained after energy drink consumption were statistically significant. This increase in vascular density of the deep capillary plexus after energy drink consumption seemed to start after half an hour and continued until measurement at 24th hour. On the other hand, the changes in measurements of vascular density from other regions, the blood flows, FAZ, CMT, CT and RNFL values were not statistically significant. In water consumption measurements; despite a statistically significant increase in choroidal thickness at 30 min and 1 h (p = 0.027, p = 0.045, respectively), no significant difference was found in other parameters between consecutive measurements. Conclusion The consumption of energy drinks acutely leads to changes in retinal vascular density parameters.