Optical alterations

How are optical alterations related to schizophrenia?

People with schizophrenia may show increased rates of co-occurring conditions. These can include short-sightedness (impaired long distance sight) and long-sightedness (impaired near distance sight), as well as reductions in the peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer, and in macular thickness and volume.

What is the evidence for optical alterations in people with schizophrenia?

Moderate quality evidence finds a large increased risk of visual impairment in people with schizophrenia compared to people without schizophrenia. There was a medium-sized effect of thinner overall peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness and small effects of thinner nasal and temporal peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layers as well as thinner ganglion cell + inner plexiform layers in people with schizophrenia. There were no significant differences in superior or inferior retinal nerve fibre layers or in choroidal or macula thickness and volume.

February 2021

Last updated at: 4:40 pm, 18th May 2022
To view documentation related to this topic download the files below
Fact Sheet Technical Commentary

NeuRA Libraries

Title Colour Legend:
Green - Topic summary is available.
Orange - Topic summary is being compiled.
Red - Topic summary has no current systematic review available.