The Effect of Partial Sleep Deprivation on Retinal Microvasculature in Myopia With Different Axial Lengths.

PURPOSE: To investigate the effects of partial sleep deprivation (PSD) on the retinal microvasculature in individuals with myopia, using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).

METHODS

In total, 87 right eyes were categorized by axial length (AL) into three groups: A (AL < 24 mm, n = 20), B (24 ≤ AL < 26 mm, n = 41), and C (AL ≥ 26 mm, n = 26). Participants underwent macular (6 mm × 6 mm) and optic disc (4.5 mm × 4.5 mm) OCTA scans. Vessel density (VD) parameters-including superficial capillary plexus VD (SCP-VD), deep capillary plexus VD (DCP-VD), radial peripapillary capillary VD (RPC-VD), inside disc RPC VD (iVD), and peripapillary RPC VD (ppVD)-were compared at baseline, before and after PSD, and following 3 days of regular sleep.

RESULTS

Compared with group A, groups B and C had lower baseline DCP-VD in all subregions (P < 0.05), except for the perifovea-inferior area, where only groups C and A showed significant differences (P = 0.001). After PSD, group C showed a decrease in SCP-VD in certain subregions of the parafovea (P = 0.013 and P = 0.022 for parafovea-temporal and parafovea-inferior, respectively), along with an increase in ppVD (P = 0.012). All VD parameters recovered after 3 days of regular sleep (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The retinal microvasculature of myopic eyes with an AL of ≥26 mm show greater susceptibility to PSD than those with an AL of <26 mm. However, short-term PSD effects can be restored by setting a regular sleep schedule.