Effect of Active & Passive Smoking on Macula & Optic Nerve Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA)

Abstract Background Smoking cause alterations in the retinal blood flow and damage of the blood retinal barrier, these retinal microvascular changes demonstrated by OCT-A may be an indicator of systemic microvascular changes. Objective The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of active and passive smoking on macula and optic nerve by measuring the macular thickness and microvasculature, GCC thickness, RNFL thickness and disc microvasculature using OCTA. Methods 150 healthy participants of 76 males and 74 females, divided in to three equal groups active smoker, passive smoker and control group. Optical coherence tomography angiography scanning was performed for all subjects. All macular subfields thickness, peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness, superficial and deep macular vessel density, foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area and radial peripapillary capillaries (RPC) density were measured and analyzed. Results Significant increase in the central macular thickness in the active and passive smoker, also there was significant decrease in the superior RNFL and deep parafoveal vessel density in the active and passive smoker, but no significant differences in GCC, FAZ, superficial capillary plexus(SCP) density, and radial peripapillary capillaries density between the three groups. Conclusion Active and passive smoking decrease deep parafoveal vessel density, superior retinal nerve fiber layer thickness, and increase central, inner and outer macular thickness in healthy middle age individuals.