Abstract
Purpose :
To evaluate the use of swept source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) versus fundus examinations by slit-lamp biomicroscopy for detecting vitreous traction and sub-retinal fluid (SRF) on areas of atrophic holes and lattice degeneration in the periphery of the retina.
Methods :
Treatment-naïve patients with atrophic holes or lattice degeneration in the retina periphery, and without visual symptoms were recruited between March and November 2022. Patients were examined by a retina specialist, and for each lattice and/or atrophic hole an annotation was made to indicate whether there was local traction or SRF. Then the patients underwent ultrawide field imaging, and peripheral SS-OCT (Silverstone, Optos), biometry and auto-refractometry. An observer that was masked to the clinical annotations of the retina specialist evaluated the imaging studies. We then calculated the correlation between the findings identified on SS-OCT vs. those of the retina specialists.
Results :
Twenty-one eyes in 15 patients (n = 6 females; 40%) were included, and the mean age was 29.2±13.9 years. Twenty eyes were myopic, while one was emmetropic. The median spherical equivalence was -2.8 (interquartile range -11.2 to -2.3) and the mean axial length was 26.2±2.4. Overall, 7 atrophic holes and 29 lattice degeneration foci were identified both clinically and on SS-OCT. Traction and SRF was identified in 12 and 6 foci on exam, vs. 6 and 4 foci on SS-OCT, respectively. The interclass correlation coefficient for the identification of traction and SRF by fundus exam vs SS-OCT was 0.511 (95% Confidence interval (CI) 0.073-0.748, p=0.012) and 0.474 (95% CI -0.043-0.735, p=0.033), respectively.
Conclusions :
These results suggest that SS-OCT may provide an additional alternative for visualizing and monitoring vitreous traction and SRF on lattice degeneration and atrophic holes in the peripheral retina. This could potentially help in guiding treatment decision in particular patients at risk of retinal detachment.
This abstract was presented at the 2023 ARVO Annual Meeting, held in New Orleans, LA, April 23-27, 2023.