Assessment of the effect of vitiligo on subfoveal choroidal thickness using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography

Abstract

Background: Vitiligo is a common skin condition affecting 0.5–2% of the population. The exact etiology of the condition is unknown, but the result is autoimmune destruction of melanocytes. The eye is rich in melanocytes, especially in the retinal pigment epithelium and choroid. Little is known about the effect of vitiligo on the choroid of the eye. Methods: We cross-sectionally examined 31 right eyes of 31 vitiligo patients and 32 right eyes of 32 age-and sex-matched controls for signs of vitiligo affection and then measured the subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between SFCT in the cases group and the control group (Mean ± SD: 251.9 ± 42.0 μm and 296.8 ± 46.4 μm, respectively, p = 0.0002). The thickness correlated negatively with age (r = −0.5) but did not correlate significantly with disease severity or duration (r = −0.201, −0.1781, p = 0.2783, 0.3381, respectively). Additional examination findings included iris and fundus hypopigmented spots, and peripapillary atrophy. Conclusion: SFCT is reduced among patients with vitiligo. The clinical implications of such a finding should be studied further, and eye screening programs should be considered.