Impact of obesity on ocular parameters: A comparative study of normal-weight and obese adults

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of obesity on various ocular examination parameters in a com-parative analysis between normal-weight and obese adul
METHODS: Thirty-two normal-weight and 64 obese adults were included in the study. Detailed ophthalmologic examination, in-cluding intraocular pressure (IOP), central corneal thickness (CCT), keratometry, anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), and axial length (AL) by A-mode ocular ultrasonography; and macular and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL) by spectral domain optical coherence tomography were compared between normal-weight and obese adults. Obese individuals were fur-ther stratified into Class I-II and Class III obesity categories, and the ocular parameters were compared between these three groups.
RESULTS: IOP was significantly higher in the obese group than in the healthy controls (16.7±2.4 vs. 15.1±2.2 mmHg, p=0.002), whereas CCT, keratometry values, ACD, LT, AL, and RNFL thicknesses did not differ between the groups. The mean retinal thicknesses in the inner retinal ring (3 mm) at superior (p=010), nasal (p=0.04), and temporal (p=0.002) quadrants were lower in the class III obese group compared to class I obese individuals. ACD was significantly narrower in class III obese group (p=0.01). Body mass index was significantly correlated with IOP (p<0.001).
CONCLUSION: Obesity is associated with elevated IOP and signs of retinopathy. An increase in the severity of obesity was found to be associated with a decrease in macular thickness and a narrowing of the anterior chamber.