Choroidal Vascularity Index in Schizophrenia Compared to Healthy Subjects: A Cross‐Sectional Study

Background and Aims: This study aims to evaluate choroidal vascular architecture in patients with schizophrenia compared to healthy individuals. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between 2019 and 2021. In total, 22 hospitalized patients with documented instances of schizophrenia and 22 healthy subjects were included. Demographic, clinical ophthalmic, psychiatric, and enhanced-depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) data were gathered. The choroidal luminal area (LA), total choroidal area (TCA), and choroidal thickness (CT) were calculated using the ImageJ software. The choroidal vascularity index (CVI) was calculated as the ratio of LA to TCA. Results: = 0.04). Conclusion: Increased CVI supports the hypothesis of microvascular dysfunction in schizophrenia. However, the precise mechanism and pathogenesis of microvascular changes in schizophrenia are unclear.