Ocular problems may be closely tied to non-segmented vitiligo, according to a study published in The Australasian Journal of Dermatology. Seeking to detect ocular changes in patients with non-segmented vitiligo, researchers conducted visual acuity testing, optical coherence tomography, and slit lamp examinations on 40 patients with the condition and 40 healthy controls. Compared with the control group, patients with non-segmental vitiligo had a significantly greater incidence of ocular changes, according to the study team. However, they observed no notable differences in visual acuity. Ocular melanocytes can be affected by vitiligo’s depigmentation process, they explained, adding that “melanocytes in the epidermis and the uveal tract share a common embryological origin, in addition to physiological and morphological similarities.” However, the authors noted that “because ocular melanocytes aren’t involved in the detection or transmission of visual pathway,” patients do not experience visual impairment.
