Purpose: to investigate the changes in peri-papillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFL) and macular thickness in patients with systemic arterial hypertension compared to normotensive control eyes.
Methods: This study included “40 eyes" of adult hypertensive patients (age 53.75 ± 6.60 years). The control group included “20 eyes" of age-matched participants with normal blood pressure. Peri-papillary (RNFL) and macular thickness were measured with Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography (SD-OCT). Results: The mean duration of systemic hypertension was 7.07 ±1.68 years. Peri-papillary RNFL thickness was thinner at superior, inferior, nasal, temporal quadrants of RNFL and total RNFL thickness at hypertensive patient eyes group (p < 0.001 for all except nasal quadrant: p < 0.007). Macular thickness was thinner at hypertensive patient eyes group (p < 0.001 for all) compared to normotensive control eyes group. Conclusion: This study reported that both peri-papillary RNFL thickness and macular thickness showed significant thinning in patients with systemic arterial hypertension compared with healthy control eyes.