RESUMO
PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to quantify thickness, vessel density (VD) of retina and choroid in young adults (18-24 years old) using OCTA. METHODS: This observational, cross-sectional study included 154 eyes from 77 young myopic adults. En-face angiogram OCTA was performed on a 3.00 × 3.00 mm region centered on the macula. Automated thickness calculations and macular maps were measured. Spherical equivalent refraction (SER) and AL were examined to determine associations with thickness, vessel density (VD) of retina and choroid. RESULTS: A total of 148 healthy eyes from 77 young myopic adults (29 males and 48 females) with a mean age of 21.80 ± 1.32 years (range: 18-24 years) were included. The mean SER and AL were - 4.06 ± 2.26D and 25.25 ± 1.28 mm, respectively. The mean retinal thickness (RT, ILM-RPE layer) was 240.91 ± 13.36 µm, the retinal superficial (SVD) and deep vessel density (DVD) in fovea region were 18.35 ± 4.77% and 32.99 ± 6.01%, respectively. The foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area was 0.31 ± 0.10 mm2. The mean subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and choriocapillaris (CC) perfusion area were 232.16 ± 56.65 µm and 2.17 ± 0.10 mm2, respectively. By Pearson's correlation analysis, SER was revealed to be negatively correlated with RT (r = -0.180, p = 0.028) and DVD (r = -0.185, p = 0.025) in fovea region. SER was revealed to be positively correlated with RT in nasal (r = 0.224, p = 0.006) and inferior (r = 0.217, p = 0.008) regions. AL was revealed to be positively correlated with RT (r = 0.250, p = 0.002) and DVD (r = 0.284, p < 0.001) in fovea region. SER was revealed to be positively correlated with SFCT (r = 0.486, p < 0.001). AL was revealed to be negatively correlated with FAZ area (r = -0.232, p = 0.005) and SFCT (r = -0.407). RT was revealed to be negatively correlated with FAZ area (r = -0.645, p < 0.001). SER (r = -0.079), AL (r = 0.071) and SFCT (r = 0.089) did not correlate significantly with the CC perfusion area (all p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Myopic eyes present increased RT, DVD and thinned SFCT in fovea, while no significant correlation could be found between SER, AL, SFCT and CC perfusion area. It may indicate that the SFCT thinning may be secondary to ocular elongation, while the CC perfusion area may be a factor independent of AL growth.
