Effect of Systemic Blood Pressure and Follicular Stimulating Hormone on Retinal Blood Flow in Women: A Cross-sectional Study Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCT-A)

Purpose This study aimed to investigate the influence of age-induced changes in Follicle-stimulating Hormone (FSH) and systemic Blood Pressure (BP) levels on the retinal vasculature in healthy women. Methods Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) was used to measure the Capillary Density Index (CDI%) of the retinal Superficial Vascular Plexus (SVP) of 124 eyes of healthy women aged 20 to 69 years. Findings were analyzed based on age, serum FSH levels, systemic (BP), and Body Mass Index (BMI). Results The average CDI% for all sections of the SVP from pooled data was 47.9±5.6%. The average CDI% for the four quadrants was 48.4±6.6%, 48.6±5.6%, 48.03±4.9%, and 46.4±4.6% for the superior, inferior, temporal, and nasal, respectively. A significant association between age and FSH levels was found in women aged 40-69 years (Spearman correlation coefficient (r) =0.8, p <0.0001); however, it did not influence the CDI% values, BP and BMI in our sample. Conclusion The present data provide evidence that healthy women continue life to older age without any deleterious effect on ocular hemodynamics despite the cessation of gonadal hormones.