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Retinal Vascular Reactivity as Assessed by Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography
Published on: March 26, 2020
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Changes in chorioretinal flow index after cataract surgery: an optical coherence tomography angiography study
Fadi Haddad1,2, Michael Mimouni3,4, Achia Nemet5
1Department of Ophthalmology, The Baruch Padeh Poriya Medical Center, Tiberias, Israel.
International Ophthalmology
|July 10, 2022
Summary
Uneventful cataract surgery significantly increases macular blood flow in the superficial and deep retinal plexuses. These findings support a vascular cause for pseudophakic cystoid macular edema (CME).
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Retinal Imaging
- Vascular Biology
Background:
- Pseudophakic cystoid macular edema (CME) is a potential complication of cataract surgery.
- Understanding changes in macular blood flow post-surgery is crucial for managing CME.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate alterations in macular blood flow after uneventful phacoemulsification cataract extraction.
- To investigate the vascular changes associated with pseudophakic CME.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 18 eyes undergoing routine phacoemulsification.
- Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) used for pre- and post-operative imaging (4-8 weeks).
- Measured changes in flow index (FI) in retinal segmentation layers.
Main Results:
- Significant increase in superficial plexus flow index (FI) post-surgery (p=0.02).
- Significant increase in deep plexus flow index (FI) post-surgery (p=0.01).
- No significant changes observed in outer retina or choriocapillaris.
Conclusions:
- Uneventful cataract surgery leads to increased FI in superficial and deep retinal plexuses.
- The greatest changes in FI were observed in the deep retinal plexus.
- Findings support the vascular etiology of pseudophakic CME.
