Visual acuity and eye parameters in relation to body size, shape and composition, considering maternal undernutrition during pregnancy.

Abstract

The purpose of our study was to examine the eye parameters in relation to body size, proportions and composition in healthy or age-related macular degeneration affected adults, considering maternal diet during pregnancy. Statistically significant smaller corneal radius was found in maternal undernutrition groups comparing with maternal normal nutrition groups (p < 0.05), but there was no significant difference in retinal parameters or vision (p > 0.05). Statistically significant smaller distal width of humerus and Frame index in both genders, shorter humerus, radius, femur and tibia length in males, lower height, sitting height and shorter fourth finger length in females was found in age-related macular degeneration maternal undernutrition group compared to healthy retina normal nutrition group (p < 0.05). Our study revealed that participants with higher stature, longer limbs, more robust skeleton and higher accumulation of fat on trunk as well as with higher absolute active mass had statistically significant lower chance to suffer from age-related macular degeneration (OR < 1.0; p < 0.05). Subjects which suffered from maternal undernutrition had steeper central corneal radius, but no clear changes in the retinal thickness, which determines maintenance of good visual acuity. Developmental programming theory was supported by anthropometric peculiarities of individuals with age-related macular degeneration in the maternal undernutrition group subjects had smaller distal width of humerus and Frame index, males had shorter humerus, radius, femur and tibia and women had shorter fourth fingers. Taller subjects with longer limbs, higher Frame index, more abundant fat accumulation on trunk, higher absolute active mass had lower chance to suffer from age-related macular degeneration.