Alterations in visual function and retinal structure in patients with bipolar disorder.

Abstract

Objective: The main objective is to determine if there are differences in visual function and retinal structure in patients with bipolar disorder compared to healthy subjects.

Material and methods: Cross-sectional observational study of cases and controls, adjusted for age and sex. A total of 43 controls (86 eyes) and 82 cases (163 eyes) were included. Visual function was assessed by measuring best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) using high contrast and low contrast visual charts. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) model modelo DRI OCT Triton-Swept Source (Topcon, Tokyo, Japón) was used for retinal structural analysis.

Results: BCVA with high contrast, as well as with reduced contrast at 2.5% and 1.25%, showed significant differences (p < 0.05) between both groups, being the mean of each variable lower in the case group. OCT analysis also showed significant differences in the mean thickness of the nerve fiber layer (RNFL) and ganglion cell layer (GCL) between the two groups, with the mean of each variable lower in the case group (p-value = 0.007 in both). No significant differences were observed in the mean thickness of these retinal layers between type I and type II bipolar patients (p-value = 0.556 and 0.871 respectively).

Conclusions: there are significant differences in visual function and in the mean thickness of retinal layers between bipolar patients and healthy controls.