Update on visual function and choroidal-retinal thickness alterations in Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative process that affects 7.5 million people around the world. Since 2004, several studies have demonstrated changes in various retinal layers in PD using optical coherence tomography (OCT). However, there are some discrepancies in the results of those studies. Some of them have correlated retinal thickness with the severity or duration of the disease, demonstrating that OCT measurements may be an innocuous and easy biomarker for PD progression. Other studies have demonstrated visual dysfunctions since early phases of the disease. Lastly, the most recent studies that use Swept Source OCT technology, have found choroidal thickness increase in PD patients and provide new information related to the retinal degenerative process in this disease. The aim of this paper is to review the literature on OCT and PD, in order to determine the altered retinal and choroidal parameters in PD and their possible clinical usefulness, and also the visual dysfunctions with higher impact in these patients.

Keywords: Choroidal thickness; Enfermedad de Parkinson; Espesor coroideo; Espesor de la capa de fibras nerviosas de la retina; Espesor retiniano; Función visual; Optical coherence tomography; Parkinson's disease; Retinal nerve fibre layer thickness; Retinal thickness; Tomografía de coherencia óptica; Visual function.