The Effect of Partial Sleep Deprivation on Retinal Microvasculature in Myopia With Different Axial Lengths.

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the effects of partial sleep deprivation (PSD) on the retinal microvasculature in individuals with myopia, using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

Methods: In total, 87 right eyes were categorized by axial length (AL) into three groups: A (AL < 24 mm, n = 20), B (24 ≤ AL < 26 mm, n = 41), and C (AL ≥ 26 mm, n = 26). Participants underwent macular (6 mm × 6 mm) and optic disc (4.5 mm × 4.5 mm) OCTA scans. Vessel density (VD) parameters-including superficial capillary plexus VD (SCP-VD), deep capillary plexus VD (DCP-VD), radial peripapillary capillary VD (RPC-VD), inside disc RPC VD (iVD), and peripapillary RPC VD (ppVD)-were compared at baseline, before and after PSD, and following 3 days of regular sleep.

Results: Compared with group A, groups B and C had lower baseline DCP-VD in all subregions (P < 0.05), except for the perifovea-inferior area, where only groups C and A showed significant differences (P = 0.001). After PSD, group C showed a decrease in SCP-VD in certain subregions of the parafovea (P = 0.013 and P = 0.022 for parafovea-temporal and parafovea-inferior, respectively), along with an increase in ppVD (P = 0.012). All VD parameters recovered after 3 days of regular sleep (P < 0.05).

Conclusions: The retinal microvasculature of myopic eyes with an AL of ≥26 mm show greater susceptibility to PSD than those with an AL of <26 mm. However, short-term PSD effects can be restored by setting a regular sleep schedule.