Abstract
Purpose :
The aim of this study was to evaluate retinal and optic nerve head (ONH) perfusion in patients with Graves' Ophthalmopathy (GO) compared with healthy controls.
Methods :
34 eyes of 34 patients with GO (study group) and 38 eyes of 38 healthy subjects (control group) were prospectively included in this study. OCT-A was performed using RTVue XR Avanti with AngioVue (Optovue, Inc, Fremont, California, USA). The area of the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) and the flow density data in the superficial and deep retinal OCT-A of the macula and in the radial peripapillary capillary network (RPC) were extracted and analysed. Disease severity was measured by the NOSPECS Score and disease activity by the CAS (clinical activity score).
Results :
There was no significant difference concerning the area of the FAZ between the study group (0.27 ± 0.10mm2) and the control group (0.30 ± 0.10 mm2) (p = 0.16). The flow density in the superficial retinal OCT angiogram and in the OCT angiogram of the optic nerve head (RPC) were significantly lower in the GO group when compared with the control group (superficial retinal, whole en face: study group 50.83 ± 3.98 %, control group 53.25 ± 2.08 %, p = 0.006; RPC, peripapillary: study group 62.24 ± 4.13 %, control group: 64.49 ± 2.57 %, p = 0.025). The was no significant correlation between the flow density and the NOSPECS Score or CAS.
Conclusions :
Patients with GO showed a reduced flow density in the RPC layer and in the superficial retinal OCT angiogram when compared with healthy controls. Non-invasive quantitative analyses of flow density using OCT-A could be useful in monitoring patients with GO.
This abstract was presented at the 2019 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in Vancouver, Canada, April 28 - May 2, 2019.