Coeliac disease does not affect visual acuity: A study of young men in the Swedish national conscripts register

Abstract

Objective. Coeliac disease (CD) is associated with neurological disease, but there are little data on visual acuity in CD. The objective of this study was to examine visual acuity in undiagnosed and diagnosed CD. Material and methods. Visual acuity was evaluated in Swedish male conscripts: 69 with undiagnosed CD (diagnosed after the conscription), 996 with diagnosed CD (diagnosed before the conscription) and 6850 without a diagnosis of CD. Information on CD was obtained from the Swedish Inpatient Registry 1964–2003. Visual acuity was measured at conscription, and analyses were based on visual acuity test scores from 1983 to 2000 when conscription attendance rates were close to 100% among Swedish males. We defined the highest test score (9/9) as normal, and 0–8/9 as decreased visual acuity. Results. The mean (±SD) visual acuity score was similar in all three groups: reference individuals, 8.03±1.46; undiagnosed CD, 8.04±1.37; diagnosed CD, 8.02±1.50 (median test score in all three groups was 8/9). The prevalence of decreased visual acuity (0–8/9) did not differ according to CD status (reference individuals: 35.3%; undiagnosed CD: 36.2%; diagnosed CD: 36.0%) (p=0.890). Conclusion. In young men, CD does not affect visual acuity.

Key Words::

• Coeliac
• eye
• gluten intolerance
• sight
• vision
• visual acuity

Acknowledgements

This study was funded by The Swedish Society of Medicine, the Swedish Research Council, the Sven Jerring Foundation, the Örebro Society of Medicine, the Karolinska Institutet, the Clas Groschinsky Foundation, the Juhlin Foundation, the Majblomman Foundation, Uppsala-Örebro Regional Research Council and the Swedish Coeliac Society. The writing and preparation of this paper was partly funded by Örebro University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet.

Declaration of interest: The authors have none to declare.