Evaluation of ocular manifestations in Parkinson disease and their change during a 2-year follow-up

Aim The aim of the present study was to evaluate ocular changes in patients with Parkinson disease (PD) and discuss the potential impact of these changes on glaucoma management. Methods This was a single-center, retrospective study, evaluating 60 eyes of 60 patients. The study population was divided into two groups: a PD group comprising 33 eyes compared with a healthy control group of 27 eyes. We evaluated best-corrected visual acuity, central corneal thickness (CCT), mean retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, intraocular pressure span, and type of glaucoma. Results Pachymetric measurements of CCT were not significantly reduced in the PD group compared to the control group: 547.3 +/- 31.2 mu m vs. 531.47 +/- 34.5 mu m, p > 0.05, respectively. The most prevalent type of glaucoma was open-angle glaucoma, with a rate of 12% in the PD group versus 18% in the control group. Normal-pressure glaucoma was the second most prevalent type at a rate of 9% and 15%, respectively, while the rate for pseudoexfoliation (PEX) glaucoma was 9% versus 11%, respectively. There was no significant difference between groups in the number of anti-glaucoma medications per patient, RNFL thickness and its trend, or mean deviation. Treatment of PD, adjusted for age and sex, had a significant correlation with CCT reduction (r = 0.5, R-2 = 25% p < 0.05). Conclusion The study findings suggest there is a tendency toward a reduction in CCT with age as PD progresses.