Choroidal and Retinal Thickness in Patients with Vitamin C Deficiency

Abstract

Purpose: to investigate the effects of vitamin C on central retinal thickness and choroidal thickness.Methods: A total of 72 patients diagnosed with vitamin C deficiency and 1:1 age- and gender-matched 72 healthy individuals with normal serum vitamin C were included in this study. Demographic characteristics of the individuals were collected. All patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination. Subfoveal choroidal thickness and retinal thickness were measured using a swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). Results: The average retinal thickness was 268.96 ± 14.01um in the vitamin C deficiency group and 276.69 ± 13.28um in the control group. The average choroidal thickness was 195.06 ± 66.35um in the in the vitamin C deficiency group and 238.53 ± 56.20um in the control group. There was a significant decrease in both average choroidal thickness and retinal thickness in vitamin C deficiency group compared with normal individuals (p < 0.001, and = 0.003 respectively).Conclusion: The central retinal and choroidal thickness were thinner in vitamin C deficiency group compared with normal individuals. These findings suggested that vitamin C deficiency might play an important role in retinal and choroidal diseases.