Subfoveal choroidal thickness and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in young obese males

Objective: Regarding the effect of obesity on subfoveal choroidal thickness (CT) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, controversial results have been reported in different patient groups. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of obesity on these parameters among young male subjects in comparison with age-matched non-obese healthy males. Methods: This prospective, cross-sectional study included both eyes of 50 obese young males and 50 healthy non-obese young males. The obese and the non-obese groups included subjects with a BMI of > 30 and <= 25 kg/m(2), respectively. Subfoveal choroidal thickness and RNFL analyses were conducted by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). Results: Subfoveal choroidal thickness (321.0 +/- 46.7 vs 338.4 +/- 35.3, p = 0.002) and RNFL thickness at temporal quadrant (73.4 +/- 9.9 vs 76.4 +/- 9.3, p = 0.008) was significantly lower in the obese group when compared to the non-obese group. The groups did not differ regarding peripapillary RNFL thickness at other quadrants (superior, inferior, or nasal) or regarding mean peripapillary RNFL thickness. Conclusion: Findings of this study demonstrated a negative correlation of obesity with subfoveal choroidal thickness and temporal quadrant peripapillary RNFL thickness. Larger studies on different patient groups with longer-term follow-up are warranted to better elucidate the ophthalmological effects of obesity.