AIM: To determine the effect of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome(OSAS)on visual field and retinal nerve fiber layer(RNFL)thickness.

METHODS: This study consisted of 72 eyes of 72 OSAS patients who were enrolled as OSAS group, and compared with 74 eyes of 74 age-matched physical examination personnels who were enrolled as control group. Visual field sensitivities(VFS)were explored with Humphrey perimeter. Peripapillary RNFL thickness was measured by stratus optical coherence tomography(OCT). VFS and Peripapillary RNFL were divided into upper, lower, temporal and nasal regions. According to apnea-hypopnea index(AHI)scores monitored by polysomnography(PSG), VFS and peripapillary RNFL thickness in 29 patients with mild OSAS, 25 patients with moderate OSAS and 20 patients with severe OSAS were compared with those in control group.

RESULTS: There was no significant difference in VFS between OSAS group and control group in upper, lower, temporal and nasal regions(P>0.05). RNFL of nasal region in OSAS group, especially in severe OSAS patients, was significantly lower than that in control group(P=0.047). Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was negative correlation between RNFL and OSAS severity in nasal region(r= -0.9998, P=0.0138).

CONCLUSION: Severe OSAS may lead to nasal RNFL thickness reduction, and the change of RNFL thickness may be used as one of the indicators to assess the severity of OSAS.