Characteristics of ocular inspection in patients with sciatica caused by lumbar spine degeneration

Abstract

Objective: To describe several clinical characteristics, scleral features, and paraclinical findings in patients with sciatic pain caused by lumbar spine degeneration. Subjects and methods: A descriptive study with a sample size of 175 patients. Results: Upon admission, the majority of patients had moderate pain according to the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), accounting for 76%. Spontaneous pain was the most common (76.57%). The proportion of patients with lateral deviation of the lumbar spine axis was relatively high at 28.57%. Regarding scleral vascular color, pale red was the most common (right eye: 73.14%; left eye: 71.43%). Dark red pigmentation spots were most prevalent (right eye: 42.86%; left eye: 41.14%). Conclusion: The study population mainly consisted of middle-aged and elderly patients; however, there is a gradual shift toward younger individuals, particularly those engaged in light work with prolonged sitting. The findings show that most patients exhibited abnormalities in scleral blood vessels, including changes in color, spots, and patches with varying characteristics.