Optic disc parameters and associations with early life exposures in over 3000 12-year-old children: findings from the ALSPAC cohort

Small optic discs and high cup-to-disc ratio are more frequent than usually supposed at age 12. The odds of CDAR > 0.3 are increased by severe prematurity and pathologically low child BMI. The odds of a small disc are increased by maternal smoking and small head circumference. Optimisation of risk factors in pregnancy and delivery and early childhood nutrition may play an important role in ophthalmic neurodevelopment and thus have a lifelong impact on ocular health.