Assessment of peripapillary nerve fiber layer thickness, optic nerve head, and macular parameters using spectral domain optical coherence tomography in patients with migraine.

PURPOSE: Assessment of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (pRNFL) thickness, optic nerve head (ONH), and macular parameters using spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) in migraine patients and comparison with age- and gender-matched healthy comparable patients.

METHODS

Patients diagnosed with migraines who fulfilled the inclusion criteria were included in the study. Healthy subjects without any ocular and systemic disorders constituted the control group. pRNFL thickness, ONH, and macular parameters were assessed using spectral domain OCT in all patients. The various study parameters were analyzed and compared between the two groups at the end of the study period. The migraine patients were also analyzed based on type, duration, and severity of migraine.

RESULTS

The study included 100 migraine patients and 100 age- and sex-matched healthy subjects. The mean age in migraine and control groups was 31.01 ± 8.56 and 30.80 ± 8.65 years, respectively. Females comprised 84% of the study subjects. Migraine patients had statistically significant (P < 0.05) thinner pRNFL and macular parameters compared to healthy subjects. Chronic migraine, severe migraine, and duration of more than 5 years were associated with statistically significant thinner pRNFL and macular parameters.

CONCLUSION

Migraine patients have significantly thinner pRNFL and macular parameters than healthy patients, and this is especially so for patients with greater severity of migraine.