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Updated: Jul 13, 2025
Evaluation of Capillary and Other Vessel Contribution to Macular Perfusion Density Measured with Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography
Published on: February 18, 2022
An Analysis of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCT-A) Perfusion Density Maps in Patients Treated for
Dorota Śpiewak1, Katarzyna Witek1, Łukasz Drzyzga1
1Department of Ophthalmology, Prof. K. Gibiński University Clinical Center, Medical University of Silesia, 40-514 Katowice, Poland.
Aim:
The primary goal of this study was to evaluate the reduction in non-perfusion area and improvement in blood flow as well as the reduction in retinal edema on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A) in patients with retinal vein occlusion treated with 2 mg intravitreal injections of aflibercept.
Material And Methods:
Fifty eyes of nine patients with central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO) and sixteen patients with branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO), aged 50 to 75 years, were collectively analyzed as retinal vein occlusion (RVO). The following parameters were analyzed: superficial vessel density (VDSF), deep vessel density (VDD), flow area in the outer retina (FAOR), choriocapillaris flow area (FACC), non-flow area (NFA) and the foveal avascular zone (FAZ).
Results:
OCT-A revealed a reduction in macular edema. The most significant change in central retinal thickness (CRT) was observed between measurement timepoint "5" and the baseline (46%). The non-flow area was also reduced. Following a significant decrease in superficial vessel density 30 days after the first dose of aflibercept, a non-significant increase was noted at the subsequent timepoints. An increase was also found in deep vessel density and choriocapillaris flow area. Improvements in the above OCT-A parameters resulted in increased retinal blood flow and improved visual acuity.
Conclusions:
Patients with retinal vein occlusion treated with 2 mg aflibercept exhibited reduced macular edema and FAZ, increased vessel density, improved blood flow, and better visual acuity.
