Effect of Axial Length on Retinal Vacular Network Geometry

Purpoe To explore the aociation between axial length and retinal vacular network geometry (arteriovenou diameter ratio [AVR], arteriolar branching angle, and junctional exponent). Deign Propective, cro-ectional tudy. Method Patient were recruited from a peudophakic population that had preexiting axial length meaurement. Mean arterial blood preure and previou medical hitory were recorded. Fundal photograph were taken. Digital image analyi wa ued to determine the AVR, mean arteriolar bifurcation angle, and junctional exponent for each ubject. Reult In total, 52 ubject were analyzed. Axial length had no aociation with AVR (R = −0.01, P = .941), mean angle at arteriolar bifurcation (R = −.134, P = .342), or junctional exponent (R = .003, P = .982). However, increaed axial length wa aociated with a trend for lower meaured retinal venular and arteriolar diameter (R = −.28, P = .04 and R = −.23, P = .10, repectively). Junctional exponent correlated with both the AVR (R = .32, P = .019) and vacular bifurcation angle (ω) (R = .317, P = .022). Concluion Increaed axial length i aociated with narrowing of both arteriolar and venular diameter, but not on the AVR, or veel junction. Future tudie exploring the influence of ytemic dieae on retinal vacular topography do not need to conider axial length a a potential confounding variable when utilizing meaure uch a AVR or veel junction. Vacular arteriolar junctional exponent may erve a a good meaure of overall altered retinal vacular geometry in cardiovacular dieae.