A recent study published in Frontiers in Medicine investigated the protective effects of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) combined with bilberry extract (BE) on myopic guinea pigs using full-range SS-OCTA. Choroidal changes, including choroidal thickness (ChT) and the choroidal vessel index (CVI), were evaluated alongside refractive error and axial length.

After eight weeks of treatment, a significant increase in ChT and CVI was observed in the guinea pig group treated with DHA + BE. This indicates that the combination of DHA and BE can enhance choroidal blood flow, effectively slow myopia progression, and prevent ocular axis elongation. These results demonstrate the protective effects of DHA and BE, suggesting their potential as a treatment for myopia in humans.

A high-speed 400 kHz swept-source OCTA (BMizar, TowardPi) was used in this study to evaluate the choroidal structure and vasculature of guinea pigs without the need for additional lenses. Choroidal parameters, including choroidal thickness and CVI, were analyzed directly on the device.

This research was conducted by Dr. Tainan Lin and the team of Prof. Jianzhang Hu from Fujian Medical University Union Hospital.

Link to the original text: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2024.1502612/full?sessionid=-1716242135