Impact of Optic Nerve Tortuosity, Globe Proptosis, and Size on Retinal Ganglion Cell Thickness Across General, Glaucoma, and Myopic Populations.
Chiang Charis Y N, Wang Xiaofei, Gardiner Stuart K, Buist Martin, Girard Michaël J A
AI Summary
This study found straighter optic nerves and less globe proptosis/size (ILPP distance) correlate with thinner RGC layers, suggesting orbital biomechanics impact RGC health and may aid glaucoma risk assessment.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of optic nerve tortuosity (ONT), and the interaction of globe proptosis and size on retinal ganglion cell (RGC) thickness, using retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, across general, glaucoma, and myopic populations.
Methods
This study analyzed 17,940 eyes from the UKBiobank cohort (ID 76442), including 72 glaucomatous and 2475 myopic eyes. Artificial intelligence models were developed to derive RNFL thickness corrected for ocular magnification from 3D optical coherence tomography scans and orbit features from 3D magnetic resonance images, including ONT, globe proptosis, axial length, and a novel feature: the interzygomatic line-to-posterior pole (ILPP) distance - a composite marker of globe proptosis and size. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) models evaluated associations between orbital and retinal features.
Results
RNFL thickness was positively correlated with ONT and ILPP distance (r = 0.065, P < 0.001 and r = 0.206, P < 0.001, respectively) in the general population. The same was true for glaucoma (r = 0.040, P = 0.74 and r = 0.224, P = 0.059), and for myopia (r = 0.069, P < 0.001 and r = 0.100, P < 0.001). GEE models revealed that straighter optic nerves and shorter ILPP distance were predictive of thinner RNFL in all populations.
Conclusions
Straighter optic nerves and decreased ILPP distance could cause RNFL thinning, possibly due to greater traction forces. ILPP distance emerged as a potential biomarker of axonal health. These findings underscore the importance of orbit structures in RGC axonal health and warrant further research into orbit biomechanics.
MeSH Terms
Shields Classification
Key Concepts5
In the general population, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness was positively correlated with optic nerve tortuosity (ONT) (r = 0.065, P < 0.001) and interzygomatic line-to-posterior pole (ILPP) distance (r = 0.206, P < 0.001).
In the glaucoma population, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness was positively correlated with optic nerve tortuosity (ONT) (r = 0.040, P = 0.74) and interzygomatic line-to-posterior pole (ILPP) distance (r = 0.224, P = 0.059).
In the myopic population, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness was positively correlated with optic nerve tortuosity (ONT) (r = 0.069, P < 0.001) and interzygomatic line-to-posterior pole (ILPP) distance (r = 0.100, P < 0.001).
Generalized estimating equation (GEE) models revealed that straighter optic nerves and shorter interzygomatic line-to-posterior pole (ILPP) distance were predictive of thinner retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in general, glaucoma, and myopic populations.
The interzygomatic line-to-posterior pole (ILPP) distance, a composite marker of globe proptosis and size, emerged as a potential biomarker of axonal health.
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