Abstract
Purpose :
With the recent development of OCTA software, it is possible to segment the macular vessel density and to measure vessel density by layer-to-layer. Therefore, we analyze macular vessel density by layer-to-layer to compare the diagnostic ability of glaucoma.
Methods :
The study participants were primary open angle glaucoma patients treating with glaucoma medications, and age-matched normal controls who visited our clinic for regular health examinations for refractive errors.
The automated segmentation software for Atlantis SS-OCT identified 4 different retinal boundaries ; inner limiting membrane, boundaries between the RNFL and the GCL, the GCL and the IPL, the IPL and the INL. We could obtain the vessel density in each RNFL, GCL, and IPL. The macular vessel density map was analyzed over 1.5mm-wide parafoveal, circular annulus centered on the macula. The parafoveal region was also divided into 4 sectors as nasal, inferior, superior, and temporal sectors, and The average vessel density of each layer was obtained by averaging measurements of 4 sectors. we recorded the average vessel density in the ranges of RNF-GC-IPL, RNF-GCL, RNFL, GC-IPL, GCL, and IPL.
Results :
This study enrolled 58 glaucomatous eyes and 52 healthy normal eyes. The average vessel density of all ranges except RNFL-GCL in glaucoma group were significantly lower than that in normal subjects (all P < 0.001). There was significantly positive correlation between MD and vessel density in RNF-GC-IPL, GCL-IPL, and IPL (r = 0.294, 0.515, 0.300, respectively), VFI and vessel density in RNF-GC-IPL, GC-IPL, and IPL (r = 0.299, 0.538, 0.364). The PSD parameters in glaucoma groups have shown the marginal significance with vessel density in GC-PIL (r = -0.264). The average vessel density in GC-IPL showed the best AUROC to discriminate between patients with glaucoma and patients with normal eyes, and followed by that in RNF-GC-IPL, IPL, GCL, and RNFL (0.750, 0.708, 0.706, 0.679, 0.626, respectively).
Conclusions :
The present study demonstrated that the vessel density in GC-IPL have shown higher diagnostic ability and better correlation with functional damage in glaucoma than that in the conventional superficial vascular plexus. The further studies are needed to improve diagnostic ability of glaucoma by using the vessel density in GC-IPL with OCTA.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.