Retinal arteriolar and venular diameters are widened in patients with schizophrenia.

Cerebrovascular abnormalities have been discussed as pathological mechanisms involved in schizophrenia, particularly in the context of the genetic–inflammatory–vascular hypothesis.1 The cerebral and retinal microcirculation have similarities with respect to morphology and physiology. It can therefore be tested if retinal vessel changes occur in patients with schizophrenia. Larger diameters of retinal venules have been noted in schizophrenia,2, 3 while smaller retinal arteriolar diameters were recently shown in psychoses.3 Our study aimed to contribute new information to further test the hypothesis of the ‘eye as a window to the brain’ in the context of schizophrenia.