Prevalence of myelinated retinal nerve fibres in adult Indians: The Central India Eye and Medical Study

Abstract

Purpose: To determine the prevalence of myelinated retinal nerve fibers in the adult Indian population. Methods: The Central India Eye and Medical Study performed in rural Central India included 4711 participants aged 30+ years. The participants underwent a detailed ophthalmic and medical examination. Results: Readable fundus photographs were available for 8645 eyes of 4485 (95.2%) subjects. Myelinated retinal nerve fibers were detected in 52 eyes (46 subjects) with a prevalence rate of 0.58 ± 0.08 per 100 eyes [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.42, 0.74] and 1.03 ± 0.15 per 100 subjects (95%CI: 0.73, 1.32). Prevalence of myelinated retinal nerve fibers was significantly associated hyperopic refractive error (p = 0.008; OR: 1.31; 95%CI: 1.07, 1.59). It was not significantly associated with age (p = 0.11), best corrected visual acuity (logMAR; p = 0.33), intraocular pressure (p = 0.09), amount of nuclear cataract (p = 0.93), optic disc area (p = 0.60), presence of glaucomatous optic nerve atrophy (p = 0.62), and early age-related macular degeneration (p = 0.53). Conclusions: Myelinated retinal nerve fibers are present in about 10 out of 1000 adult Indians in rural Central India, with a higher prevalence in hyperopic eyes. Prevalence of myelinated retinal nerve fibers was not associated with age, visual acuity, glaucoma and macular degeneration. © 2013 Acta Ophthalmologica Scandinavica Foundation. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.