Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Comment
  • Published:

Chorioretinal folds in astronauts: risk of chorioretinal fold-related maculopathy and terrestrial staging of disease

Eye volume 38, pages 412–413 (2024)Cite this article

Subjects

Chorioretinal folds-related maculopathy, commonly referred to as chorioretinal folds (CRFs), is characterized by the presence of wrinkles that impact various layers of the eye, namely the choroid, Bruch’s membrane, retinal pigment epithelium (RPE), and the neurosensory retina that sits above them [1]. Those wrinkles are primarily detected in the posterior pole of the eye and are characterized by the presence of alternating light and dark lines on fluorescein angiography [1]. Chorioretinal folds exhibit a wide range of causes and are frequently associated with different ocular and orbital conditions [2]. These conditions include acquired hyperopia, posterior scleritis, orbital tumours, choroidal nevi, thyroid eye disease, or idiopathic chorioretinal folds [2].

The development of chorioretinal folds has been associated with changes in the anatomical positioning of the sclera and the retina, resulting in the compression of structures within the eye [2]. Several potential mechanisms have been suggested, such as choroidal congestion, alterations in the structure of Bruch’s membrane and the retinal pigment epithelium, and stress-strain interactions between the choroid and sclera [2]. Advancements in retinal imaging technologies have played a significant role in enhancing the identification and assessment of chorioretinal folds [1].

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

References

  1. Grosso D, Borrelli E, Sacconi R, Bandello F, Querques G. Recognition, diagnosis and treatment of chorioretinal folds: current perspectives. Clin Ophthalmol. 2020;14:3403–9.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. Olsen TW, Palejwala NV, Lee LB, Bergstrom CS, Yeh S. Chorioretinal folds: associated disorders and a related maculopathy. Am J Ophthalmol. 2014;157:1038–1047.e1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Ferguson CR, Pardon LP, Laurie SS, Young MH, Gibson CR, Brunstetter TJ, et al. Incidence and progression of chorioretinal folds during long-duration spaceflight. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2023;141:168–75.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  4. Waisberg E, Ong J, Lee AG. Factors associated with optic disc edema development during spaceflight. JAMA Ophthalmol. 2023;141:409.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Ong J, Tavakkoli A, Zaman N, Kamran SA, Waisberg E, Gautam N, et al. Terrestrial health applications of visual assessment technology and machine learning in spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome. npj Microgravity. 2022;8:37.

    Article  ADS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Waisberg E, Ong J, Kamran SA, Zaman N, Paladugu P, Sarker P, et al. Further characterizing the physiological process of posterior globe flattening in spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome with generative adversarial networks. J Appl Physiol. 2023;134:150–1.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Lee AG, Mader TH, Gibson CR, Tarver W, Rabiei P, Riascos RF, et al. Spaceflight associated neuro-ocular syndrome (SANS) and the neuro-ophthalmologic effects of microgravity: a review and an update. npj Microgravity. 2020;6:7.

    Article  ADS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  8. Waisberg E, Georgiou M, Michaelides M, Rajendram R. Unilateral congenital non-syndromic retinal vessel dilation and tortuosity. Am J Ophthalmol Case Rep. 2021;23:101160.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  9. Del Turco C, Rabiolo A, Carnevali A, La Spina C, Bettin P, Querques G, et al. Optical coherence tomography angiography features of chorioretinal folds: a case series. Eur J Ophthalmol. 2017;27:e35–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University College Dublin School of Medicine, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland

    Mouayad Masalkhi & Ethan Waisberg

  2. Michigan Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, USA

    Joshua Ong

  3. Center for Space Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    Andrew G. Lee

  4. Department of Ophthalmology, Blanton Eye Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA

    Andrew G. Lee

  5. The Houston Methodist Research Institute, Houston Methodist Hospital, Houston, TX, USA

    Andrew G. Lee

  6. Departments of Ophthalmology, Neurology, and Neurosurgery, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA

    Andrew G. Lee

  7. Department of Ophthalmology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA

    Andrew G. Lee

  8. University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA

    Andrew G. Lee

  9. Texas A&M College of Medicine, Bryan, TX, USA

    Andrew G. Lee

  10. Department of Ophthalmology, The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Iowa City, IA, USA

    Andrew G. Lee

Authors
  1. Mouayad Masalkhi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Joshua Ong
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Ethan Waisberg
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Andrew G. Lee
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

MM—writing, editing, JO—writing, editing, idea synthesis, EW—writing, editing, idea synthesis, AGL—editing.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Mouayad Masalkhi.

Ethics declarations

Competing interests

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher’s note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Masalkhi, M., Ong, J., Waisberg, E. et al. Chorioretinal folds in astronauts: risk of chorioretinal fold-related maculopathy and terrestrial staging of disease. Eye 38, 412–413 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-023-02730-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-023-02730-6

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links