Ocular manifestations in COPD patients. An underrecognized comorbidity

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterized by the presence of comorbidities, such as cardiovascular diseases, that significantly impact symptoms, quality of life and prognosis. Indeed, it is shown that patients with COPD may present with diseases of aging, earlier in life, including eye disorders, such as macular degeneration and cataract. Although underrecognized, cumulative evidence over the last years suggests that COPD is associated with ocular abnormalities, mainly in the posterior segment of the eye, affecting both the microvascular network of the retina and the optic nerve, while structural abnormalities of the choroid and cornea have also been described. Thus, the aim of this review is to provide a comprehensive description of the evidence for ocular findings in patients with COPD that is an underrecognized entity and co-morbidity. A secondary aim of this review is to introduce pulmonologists to current ophthalmological techniques that may foster both clinical practice and research, especially through the assessment of the ocular microvascular network that is closely related to cardiovascular comorbidities.