Changes in retinal vascular caliber in eyes with non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration that have progressed to neovascular age-related macular degeneration

Abstract

 

Purpose

 

To assess the changes in retinal vessel diameter in eyes with non-neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD) who have progressed to neovascular AMD using Interactive Vessel Analysis (IVAN).

 

Methods

 

Fundus photos from 37 patients (37 eyes) that had progressed from non-neovascular to neovascular AMD who were managed at a tertiary care center over a 5-year period (2008-2013) were reviewed. Photos were selected at two specific time points: immediately before the initial diagnosis of neovascular AMD and at the time of diagnosis. 14 eyes (14 patients) with sufficient quality images for grading vessel caliber at the two specified time points were selected for analysis. Central retinal arterial equivalent (CRAE) and central retinal venular equivalent (CRVE) were measured using IVAN software, ½ disc diameter to 1 disc diameter from the margin of the optic disc, in the 6 largest arterioles and venules. A non-parametric test (Wilcoxon Signed Ranks test) was performed to compare the CRAE and CRVE between the two time points in the disease course.

 

Results

 

The mean age was 80.6 years. All patients were Caucasian; 8 patients were female and 6 were male. Mean time between the two time points (non-neovascular to neovascular AMD) was 51.5 weeks. There was a statistically significant increase in CRVE and no change in CRAE at the time of conversion from non-neovascular to neovascular AMD (table).

 

Conclusions

 

Conversion of non-neovascular to neovascular AMD appears to be associated with an increase in CRVE, implying a change in venous blood flow in eyes with neovascular AMD.

 

 

Table

 

Keywords: 436 blood supply • 461 clinical (human) or epidemiologic studies: natural history • 412 age-related macular degeneration