Retinal and Choroidal Vascular Diseases of the Eye - Chapter 28: Multiple sclerosis

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is the most common inflammatory and demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) and the first cause of nontraumatic and permanent disability in young adults among CNS disorders. Early diagnosis and follow-up are fundamental for optimal disease management, aiming at delaying MS progression and disability. As the retina and optic nerve are properly considered an extension of the brain, it is of particular interest to leverage retinal imaging technology to noninvasively detect and monitor neurodegeneration processes linked to MS. The purpose of this chapter is to provide a general background of MS to give a foundation on which to review current research about retinal imaging in MS. In particular, it discusses the potential role of optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT-A as retinal imaging biomarkers in MS, elaborating on limitations and future directions.