Evaluation of Ganglion Cell-Inner Plexiform and Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thicknesses in Obese Children and Their Associations with Obesity Severity and Duration

Aim: To evaluate the macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL) and the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thicknesses measured by high-definition optical coherence tomography (HD-OCT) in children with obesity and to determine whether thickness parameters are correlated to disease severity and duration. Materials and Methods: This prospective study involved 40 obese and 40 age and sex-matched non-obese children aged between 6 and 17 years. Following the measurement of body mass index (BMI), cycloplegic auto-refraction, intraocular pressure, and axial length (AL) was measured. OCT scans were performed using Cirrus HD-OCT (Carl-Zeiss Meditec, Dublin, CA, USA). Right eye of each subject was selected for analysis. Results: The study included 40 healthy children and 40 children with obesity. The RNFL thickness measurements revealed thinner in the obesity group compared to controls for all quadrants however, the only statistically difference were for the average and superior quadrants (P < 0.05). All GC-IPL thickness parameters were statistically thinner in the obese subjects compared to the controls (P < 0.05). Average peripapillary RNFL and macular GC-IPL thicknesses and some quadrants and sectors are inversely correlated with disease severity and duration. Conclusions: Macular GC-IPL and peripapillary RNFL thicknesses were significantly lower in obese children than controls and a negative correlation between the severity and duration of obesity and both the GC-IPL and RNFL thicknesses could indicate that obesity control in children may be a crucial strategy for prevention of glaucoma