The Relationship Between Reticular Macular Disease and Choroidal Thickness

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Retinal Diseases
• Age-Related Macular Degeneration (AMD)

Background:

• Subretinal drusenoid deposits (SDD) are a key feature of reticular macular disease (RMD), a subtype of age-related macular degeneration (AMD).
• Understanding the relationship between SDD and choroidal thickness (CTh) is crucial for characterizing RMD progression.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the spatiotemporal associations between SDD and choroidal thickness (CTh) alterations in eyes with and without RMD.
• To analyze how age influences the relationship between SDD and CTh in RMD.

Main Methods:

• Enhanced depth imaging spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) was used to measure CTh in 51 eyes (39 subjects).
• CTh was assessed at 55 points per eye, forming a grid for comprehensive analysis.
• Marginal generalized estimating equation modeling and stratified age analyses (median age 82 years) were employed.

Main Results:

• Overall, no significant difference in mean CTh was found between RMD+ and RMD- eyes (P = 0.24).
• In younger subjects (≤82 years), RMD+ eyes exhibited significantly reduced CTh compared to RMD- eyes (P = 0.01).
• In older subjects (>82 years), no significant difference in CTh was observed between RMD+ and RMD- eyes.

Conclusions:

• The impact of SDD on CTh in RMD is age-dependent, not varying by macular region.
• Younger individuals with RMD and SDD demonstrate significantly thinner choroids compared to those without SDD.