Correlation between subfoveal choroidal thickness by EDI-OCT and stage of dry age related macular degeneration.

Abstract

Purpose : The choroid is the vascular structure with the greatest blood flow in the body of which depends the stability of the photoreceptors and retinal pigment epithelium cells. It has been shown that the decrease in choroidal thickness is correlated with advanced stages of age relatad macular degeneration (AMD). The purpose of the study is to determine the subfoveal choroidal thickness through enhanced depth imaging (EDI OCT) in AMD patients and observe whether there is correlation with the stage of AMD.

Methods : A descriptive, transversal and observational study was conducted. Complete eye examination was performed were visual acuity, fundus examination, axial length (AL), EDI OCT and fundus photographs were included. AREDS classification for staging patients was used. Patients with dry AMD and AL ≤26mm were enrolled. Patients with macular involvement by causes other than AMD, renal failure, media opacities and antiangiogenic use were excluded. One way ANOVA was used for correlation between subfoveal choroidal thickness and stage of AMD, considering statistically significant p ≤ 0.05 value.

Results : Thirty-two eyes of 23 patients were included, they had a mean age of 78.5 ± 8 years (range 58-88). Patients were divided by stage and subfoveal choroidal thickness and it was found that as AMD progresses there is a significant diminution of subfoveal choroidal thickness.

Conclusions : Our results show that there is an inverse relationship between the thickness subfoveal choroidal and severity of dry AMD.

This is an abstract that was submitted for the 2016 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Seattle, Wash., May 1-5, 2016.