Faraji Navid, Tafti Seyyed Pouria, Khoshroo Niloofar, Khoshrou Alireza, Bakhtiari Elham, Eslami Saeid, Shoeibi Nasser, Ansari Astaneh Mohammad Reza, Hosseini Seyedeh Maryam, Abrishami Majid, Heidarzadeh Hamid Reza, Arjmand Parnian, Abrishami Mojtaba
Eye Research Center, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences Khatam-al-Anbia Hospital, Razavi Khorasan Province, Qarani Blvd, Mashhad, 9195965919, Iran.
Student research committee, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Razavi Khorasan Province, Mashhad, Iran.
Int J Retina Vitreous. 2025 May 9;11(1):56. doi: 10.1186/s40942-025-00679-0.
To assess macular anatomical and vascular parameters in individuals working in iron ore mines using Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) and Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA) imaging to explore potential correlations between this occupational exposure and retinal changes.
Individuals from the Sangan iron ore mine in Iran were included in a comparative cross-sectional observational study. An age-matched normal control group was selected from healthy participants employed at Mashhad University of Medical Sciences. Following thorough medical evaluations, participants underwent OCT and OCTA imaging. The macular thickness profile, vessel density (VD) of the superficial (SCP) and deep retinal capillary plexus (DCP), and the area of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) were measured in our cases and compared with age-matched normal controls.
One hundred and one individuals, with an average age of 38.3 ± 5.59 years in the case group and 38.5 ± 5.59 years in the control group, were enrolled in the study. The difference in mean foveal thickness between cases (50.75 ± 9.13) and normal controls (50.38 ± 8.29) was not statistically significant (p = 0.758). Similarly, the mean VD in SCP and DCP for the case group (49.08 ± 2.20 and 49.32 ± 2.42, respectively) and the control group (49.45 ± 3.54 and 49.36 ± 3.97) did not show significant differences. Additionally, there were no significant changes (p-value > 0.05) in macular thickness and VD in other retinal regions when comparing the case and control groups.
The research did not establish a significant association between occupational exposure in an iron ore mine and retinal structural changes or alterations in macular VD.
使用光学相干断层扫描（OCT）和光学相干断层扫描血管造影（OCTA）成像技术评估在铁矿工作的人员的黄斑解剖和血管参数，以探索这种职业暴露与视网膜变化之间的潜在相关性。
来自伊朗桑甘铁矿的人员被纳入一项比较性横断面观察研究。从马什哈德医科大学的健康参与者中选取年龄匹配的正常对照组。在进行全面的医学评估后，参与者接受了OCT和OCTA成像。测量了我们研究对象的黄斑厚度轮廓、浅层视网膜毛细血管丛（SCP）和深层视网膜毛细血管丛（DCP）的血管密度（VD）以及中央凹无血管区（FAZ）的面积，并与年龄匹配的正常对照组进行比较。
该研究共纳入101名个体，病例组平均年龄为38.3±5.59岁，对照组平均年龄为38.5±5.59岁。病例组（50.75±9.13）和正常对照组（50.38±8.29）之间的平均中央凹厚度差异无统计学意义（p = 0.758）。同样，病例组（分别为49.08±2.20和49.32±2.42）和对照组（49.45±3.54和49.36±3.97）的SCP和DCP中的平均VD也没有显著差异。此外，比较病例组和对照组时，其他视网膜区域的黄斑厚度和VD也没有显著变化（p值>0.05）。
该研究未发现铁矿职业暴露与视网膜结构变化或黄斑VD改变之间存在显著关联。
