Evaluation of the optic nerve head and macular vessel density in keratoconus patients using optical coherence tomography angiography- a cross-sectional study.

PURPOSE: Our study evaluated macular and optic disc vascular density (VD) changes in patients diagnosed with keratoconus, as compared with gender and age-matched healthy controls, in relation to the keratoconus stage. METHODS: This comparative cross-sectional study included adult patients who received a diagnosis of keratoconus at the Cornea Clinic. All scans consisted of two 4.5 mm × 4.5 mm images of the optic disc area and 6 × 6 mm images of the macular area using optical coherence tomography angiography. RESULTS: The study included 67 patients (26 women (38.8%) and 41 men (61.2%)) and 74 controls (31 women (41.9%) and 43 men (58.1%)). The mean ages of the keratoconus group and the control group were 30.0 ± 8.0 and 31.1 ± 7.5, respectively. Macular VD (whole, superficial, and deep) and peripapillary VD (whole) values were decreased statistically significant compared with the control group (p < 0.01 and p = 0.015, respectively). The keratoconus stage was negatively correlated with both the macular VD (p = 0.048, r = -0.314) and whole-peripapillary VD values (p = 0.03, r = -0.34). CONCLUSION: Keratoconus might affect the posterior and anterior segments due to similar etiologies, including diminished collagen quality. Therefore, examination of the posterior segment should be performed thoroughly in keratoconus patients.

Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography in Preschool Children with a History of Treated or Spontaneously Regressed Retinopathy of Prematurity.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), the spherical equivalent (SE), and the central, parafoveal, and perifoveal macular thickness results of the children with a history of treated or spontaneously regressed retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). METHODS: Seventy-nine right eyes of 79 children at the age of 5 years old were included in this cross-sectional observational study. Twenty-four infants who received intravitreal bevacizumab (IVB) were in group 1, 27 infants who underwent laser photocoagulation (LPC) were in group 2, and 28 infants who had spontaneous regression were in group 3. Central foveal thickness (CFT) and the thicknesses of four parafoveal and four perifoveal quadrants as superior, temporal, inferior, and nasal were analyzed by using swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). RESULTS: BCVA was significantly better (p = .002), and the SE was significantly higher in group 3 than in both groups 1 and 2 (p = .033). CFT was significantly lower in group 3 than in both groups 1 and 2 (p < .001). The parafoveal average, temporal, inferior, and nasal thickness values and the perifoveal average, superior, and temporal thickness results were significantly higher in group 2 than in both groups 1 and 3 (p = .003, p = .002, p = .009, and p = .009, respectively) (p = .003, p < .001, and p = .007, respectively). CONCLUSION: CFT was significantly higher in infants who had treatment for ROP. Parafoveal and perifoveal retinal thicknesses in certain quadrants were higher in those receiving LPC treatment than in others. CFT was negatively correlated with both gestational age and birth weight. Myopia was seen more often in children who had treatment.

Assessment of the retinal and choroidal microvascularization in polycystic ovary syndrome: an optical coherence tomography angiography study.

PURPOSE: To examine the retinal, peripapillary, choroidal microvascularization and the choroid thickness (CT) of the patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) and compare the results to measurements obtained from healthy controls. METHODS: In total, 47 eyes of 47 patients recently diagnosed with PCOS and 47 eyes of 47 age-matched healthy women were included in this study. An RT XR Avanti instrument with AngioVue software was used for the OCT-A imaging using 6 × 6 mm macular and 4.5 × 4.5 mm optic nerve head scans. Quantitative vessel density results of superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP) and radial peripapillary capillaries (RPC); flow area and flow density of choriocapillaris; and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area were analyzed. CT was evaluated by using the measurements obtained from the subfoveolar area. RESULTS: No significant differences were detected between the groups for any of vessel density results for the SCP, DCP, and RPC as well as the FAZ area. The difference in the choriocapillaris flow area and flow density between the groups was not statistically significant. The choroid was significantly thicker in women with PCOS than in the healthy group (p = 0.002). CONCLUSION: Retinal and choroidal microvascularization was comparable between the women who were evaluated early after diagnosed with PCOS and age-matched healthy controls. Choroid was found thicker in patients with PCOS than in healthy women. OCT-A, as a new and noninvasive imaging method, may help in understanding the effect of PCOS on the posterior segment of the eye.

Assessment of retinal vessel density in adult-onset foveomacular vitelliform dystrophy by optical coherence tomography angiography.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate retinal thickness, area of foveal avascular zone (FAZ), flow area and flow density of choriocapillaris, vessel density of both superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) of eyes with adult-onset foveomacular vitelliform dystrophy (AOFVD) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) and compare the results with healthy controls. METHODS: 17 eyes of 14 patients diagnosed with AOFVD and 17 eyes of 17 healthy subjects were enrolled in this study. All patients underwent a complete ophthalmological examination and a 6 x 6 mm macular OCT-A scanning. Quantiative results of retinal thickness, retinal vessel density of SCP and DCP, FAZ area, flow area and flow density of choriocapillaris were analyzed. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences were noted in the vessel density of the SCP, except for the parafoveal nasal sector (P = 0.048). Similarly, no statistically significant differences were observed in the vessel density of the DCP, except for the parafoveal (P = 0.037) and the parafoveal temporal (P = 0.048) sectors. The choriocapillaris flow area and the flow density were significantly lower in the patients with AOFVD than in the healthy controls (P = 0.001 for both). The mean FAZ area and the retinal thickness measurements were comparable in both groups. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with AOFVD show vascular abnormalities that can be detected with OCT-A. OCT-A, as a noninvasive imaging modality, could provide a new perspective for understanding the pathophysiology of AOFVD and could also be useful in the follow-up of these patients and in the management of the disease progression.

Analysis of Macular Vessel Density and Foveal Avascular Zone in Adults with Amblyopia.

Purpose: To quantify and compare the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) and the whole, parafoveal and foveal vessel density of superficial (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) in amblyopic eyes of adults and age-matched controls.Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 52 eyes from 34 subjects aged 18 to 45 years. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) was performed to all participants and SCP, DCP and FAZ were evaluated. SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) 23 was used for data analysis.Results: Eighteen of 34 subjects (52,9%) were amblyopic and 16 (47,1%) of them controlled. Mean subject age was 31.2 years in the amblyopia group and 28.3 years in the control group. The mean FAZ measurements were 0.28 ± 0.08 in amblyopic eyes, 0.29 ± 0.08 in fellow eyes and 0.3 ± 0.11 in control eyes. The whole, foveal and parafoveal vessel density of SCP in both 3x3-mm and 6x6-mm scans were not statistically different in amblyopic eyes, fellow eyes and control eyes. In 6x6-mm scans, the whole, and parafoveal vessel density of DCP were significantly lower in amblyopic eyes than controls. There was no statistically significant difference in 3x3-mm scans about DCP.Conclusion: OCTA revealed lower vessel density in DCP of amblyopic eyes than fellow eyes and controls in adults.

The effect of combined phacotrabeculectomy, trabeculectomy and phacoemulsification on the corneal endothelium in the early stage: a preliminary study.

PURPOSE: We aimed to investigate the effect of combined phacotrabeculectomy, trabeculectomy and phacoemulsification on the corneal endothelium in the early stage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this prospective and non-randomized study, three groups were identified each consisting of 20 eyes (Group I phacotrabeculectomy, group II trabeculectomy, group III phacoemulsification). In the pre- and postop month 1, corneal endothelial cell density (CECD), coefficient of variation (CV) (polymegathism) and hexagonality (Hex) (pleomorphism) were measured by means of a non-contact specular microscope (Nidek CEM-530, NIDEK Co., Ltd. Japan). RESULTS: The postop CECD in each of the three groups showed a significant decrease when compared with the preop period (6.1% in the phacotrabeculectomy group, 4.9% in the trabeculectomy group and 7.4% in the phacoemulsification group). The amount of decrease in the preop and postop CECD values showed no significant difference among these three groups. The postop CV value in each of the three groups showed a significant increase when compared with the preop period. The postop Hex value in each of the three groups showed no significant change when compared with the preop period. CONCLUSION: In our study, we observed that performing a combined phacotrabeculectomy on patients with glaucoma and cataract association in the same session did not do more harm to the corneal endothelium than other surgical methods. For this reason, this method can be applied safely to a patient population that is likely to develop corneal decompensation.