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• Healthy sedentary and martial arts athletes have similar retinal and choroidal structures. • Individuals with a long training history in martial arts athletes with a predominant anaerobic system have similar vascular densities to healthy sedentary individuals. • Relatively chronic anaerobic exercise loads did not show significant changes in vascular densities and this was similar to healthy sedentary subjects. The study aims to compare choroidal thickness, deep and superficial retinal capillary plexuses, and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) parameters in elite martial arts athletes and a healthy sedentary control group. The study included martial arts athletes (32 individuals, 64 eyes) and healthy sedentary persons (43 individuals with healthy sedentary lifestyles, 86 eyes) aged 18–35 years. In this single non-repeated observational and cross-sectional study, choroidal thickness, superficial and deep retinal capillary plexuses, and FAZ measurements were measured using Swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) and compared between groups. No statistically significant differences were found (p > 0.05) in age, IOP, AL (axial length), and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) parameters between groups. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in choroidal thickness, superficial and deep retinal capillary plexuses, and FAZ parameters determined by the OCTA method (p > 0.05). In our study, we observed that the retinal and choroidal structures of martial art athletes and healthy sedentary individuals were similar. This observation implies that the putative microvascular effects on the choroid and retina in martial arts, especially those based on the anaerobic energy system, may reflect similar outcomes to those observed in individuals with sedentary lifestyles characterized by healthiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We aimed to investigate vessel densities retinal, choroidal, and optic disc vascular changes using OCTA in obese patients. • The whole, parafoveal, and perifoveal vascular density values of the SCP and those of the DCP were statistically significantly lower in the obese group. • Statistically significant negative correlations were found between BMI and the whole, parafoveal and perifoveal vascular densities of the SCP and DCP and the density values of the optic disc for all vessels and small vessels. To evaluate optic disc and retinal vascular densities in obese patients using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). This study included 27 eyes from 27 obese patients with a body mass index (BMI) of ≥35 who were scheduled for bariatric surgery at the general surgery clinic and 26 eyes from 26 healthy individuals with a BMI of 18.5–24.9 kg/m2 who were of similar age and gender to the obese group. The macular vascular densities of the superficial and deep capillary plexuses (SCP and DCP, respectively), choriocapillaris flow area, optic disc peripapillary vascular density, and retinal thicknesses were evaluated using the OCTA device in obese patients and controls. The mean age of the obese patients was 35.89 ± 10.93 years, and that of the controls was 32.31 ± 7.88 years (p = 0.199). The mean BMI values of the obese and control groups were 45.04 ± 6.89 kg/m2 and 23.19 ± 1.66 kg/m2, respectively (p < 0.0001). The whole, parafoveal, and perifoveal vascular density values of the SCP and those of the DCP were statistically significantly lower in the obese group than in the control group (p = 0.004, p = 0.011, p = 0.006, p = 0.036, p = 0.029, and p = 0.024, respectively). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of optic disc vascular density. Full retinal perifoveal thickness, full retinal perifoveal volume, inner retinal perifoveal thickness, and inner retinal perifoveal volume were statistically significantly lower in obese patients compared to the controls (p = 0.043, p = 0.042, p = 0.027, and p = 0.024, respectively). In addition, statistically significant negative correlations were found between BMI and the whole, parafoveal, and perifoveal vascular densities of the SCP and DCP and the whole vascular density values of the optic disc for all vessels and small vessels ​​(p = 0.017, r = -0.327; p = 0.043, r = -0.280; p = 0.033, r = -0.293; p = 0.034, r = -0.291; p = 0.017, r = -0.327; p = 0.023, r = -0.311; p = 0.031, r = -0.296; and p = 0.047, r = -0.274, respectively). We consider that the decrease in retinal vascular density and retinal thickness in obese patients is responsible for obesity-induced oxidative stress, increased inflammatory cytokines, and microvascular damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Patients with COVID-19 had larger FAZ areas and lower VDs in both SCP and DCP, which remained after three months of follow-up. • The CVI was significantly less in the patients' group than control. • Patients demonstrated decreasing vascular densities in the DCP, but not SCP, even after healing of the infection was complete. Nonetheless, FAZ area, CVI, and subfoveal CHT have not been affected by the time lapsed from infection. • The subfoveal CHT was inversely correlated with the FAZ area and directly correlated with the SCP and DCP VDs. To compare the retinal vascular density (VD), choroidal vascularity index (CVI), and choroidal thickness (CHT) between patients infected with COVID-19 and healthy subjects using non-invasive optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and enhanced depth imaging OCT (EDI-OCT) technique. This case-control study was carried out on patients with COVID-19 and healthy controls. Patients' data were acquired immediately after active infection and three months later. The diagnosis was based on clinical symptoms and a positive PCR test. VDs in superficial and deep capillary plexuses (SCP and DCP) and CHT and CVI were measured and compared between groups. A total of 160 eyes from 80 patients (55% female, mean age 51 ± 13 years) and 80 controls (55% female, mean age 49 ± 12 years) were enrolled. In acute phase infection, the mean foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area was 0.28 ± 0.06 mm2 and 0.22 ± 0.05 mm2 in patient and control groups, respectively (P < 0.001). CVI was 61.06 ± 2.59 µm and 72.28 ± 3.84 µm in patients and control groups, respectively (P < 0.001). After three months, the mean FAZ area was 0.28 ± 0.06 mm2 and 0.23 ± 0.05 mm2 in the patient and control groups, respectively (P < 0.001). CVI was 60.93 ± 2.11 µm and 72.46 ± 3.80 µm in patients and control groups, respectively (P < 0.001). Subfoveal CHT was not significantly different between groups (P = 0.69). SCP and DCP VDs were significantly less in the patients' group (P < 0.001). In the patients' group, the VDs in the DCP of the whole images and parafoveal DCP (P < 0.001) were reduced significantly after three months in comparison to the acute phase, while the FAZ area, subfoveal CHT, and CVI were not significantly different. COVID-19 infection may be associated with acute and long-term changes of VDs in the retinal and choroidal vasculature without significant effect on the subfoveal CHT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Several adverse ocular posterior segment events reported following COVID-19 vaccination. • Color doppler imaging has long been used to assess retrobulbar hemodynamics in retinal diseases. • Optical coherence tomography angiography and color doppler ultrasonography can be used for early detection of postvaccination microvascular abnormalities caused by thromboembolic events, increased local ischemia or inflammation. We aimed to investigate the early effects of inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine on retrobulbar vascular blood flow and retinal vascular density in healthy subjects. Thirty-four eyes of 34 healthy volunteers who received the CoronaVac (Sinovac Life Sciences, China) were included in this prospective study. Resistive index (RI), pulsatility index (PI) and peak systolic velocity (PSV) of the ophthalmic artery (OA), central retinal artery (CRA), and the temporal and nasal posterior ciliary arteries (PCA) were evaluated with color Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS) before vaccination, at the 2nd and 4th weeks after vaccination. Superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) vessel density (VD), foveal avascular zone (FAZ), and choriocapillaris blood flow (CCF) measurements were made using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). When compared to the pre-vaccination values, there was no significant change in OA-PSV, temporal-nasal PCA-PSV, CRA-EDV, temporal-nasal PCA-EDV at 2nd and 4th weeks after vaccination. However statistically significant reductions were found in the OA-RI, OA-PI, CRA-RI, CRA-PI, temporal-nasal PCA-RI, temporal-nasal PCA-PI values, CRA-PSV at post-vaccination 2nd week (p <0.05 for all). While there was sustained reduction in OA-RI, OA-PI, CRA-PSV, and nasal PCA-RI values at 4th week after vaccination, the change in CRA-RI, CRA-PI, temporal PCA-RI, temporal-nasal PCA-PI values were not significant compared to pre-vaccination values. There was no statistically significant difference in the SCP-VD, DCP-VD, FAZ and CCF measurements. Our findings demonstrating that CoronaVac vaccine did not affect retinal vascular density in the early period, but it caused alterations in the retrobulbar blood flow. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a non-invasive imaging technique that enables to acquire high-resolution images of the retinal vascular network. • Vascular effects of obesity, which is considered as a metabolic disease, are also well known. • However there is a dispute in the literature about the effects of obesity on choroidal thicknesses. • To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to comprehensively compare choroidal thicknesses, retinal vascular indexes, and FAZ measurements within and simultaneously with BMI groups. • There are very few studies in the literature investigating the effects of BMI to choroidal and retinal vessels. The present study explores the effects of Body Mass Index (BMI) on choroidal thickness, the deep and superficial retinal capillary plexuses, and the foveal avascular zone (FAZ). The subjects in this prospective study were divided into five groups based on their calculated BMI. Choroidal thickness, superficial and deep retinal capillary plexuses, and FAZ were measured using enhance depth imaging (EDI) and optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). The groups were then compared and correlations with BMI were evaluated. The study included 210 eyes of 105 subjects. The comparison of the BMI groups revealed a significant decrease in the mean choroidal thicknesses in the obese groups (p = 0.001), and a significant negative correlation between BMI and mean choroidal thickness (p = 0.02). The results of the analysis of the mean superficial and deep retinal capillary plexuses did not differ between the groups (p = 0.089, p = 0.808 respectively), while the deep FAZ measurements revealed a significant decrease in the obese groups (p = 0.003). Choroidal thickness and deep FAZ are significantly negatively correlated with BMI, suggesting potential choroidal and retinal microvascular effects of obesity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]