Parapapillary choroidal microvasculature dropout in eyes with primary open-angle glaucoma

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging
• Glaucoma Research

Background:

• Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
• Microvasculature dropout (MvD) is a pathological feature observed in glaucoma.
• Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) allows for non-invasive visualization of retinal vasculature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between microvasculature dropout (MvD) area and various clinical parameters in patients with POAG.
• To determine if MvD area can serve as a biomarker for glaucoma severity.

Main Methods:

• OCTA was used to measure MvD area and peripapillary choroidal atrophy (PPA) area in 55 POAG patients.
• Circumpapillary nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) thickness, optic disc parameters, and Humphrey Field Analyzer (HFA) visual field indices (MD, PSD) were assessed.
• Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was employed to analyze the relationships between MvD area and other parameters.

Main Results:

• The mean MvD area was 0.18 ± 0.17 mm² and mean PPA area was 1.13 ± 0.72 mm².
• MvD area showed significant correlations with optic disc rim area (p=0.0017), cpRNFL thickness (p=0.0027), HFA 24/10-2 MD, and PSD (p<0.001).

Conclusions:

• MvD area is significantly associated with structural and functional parameters in POAG.
• MvD area may serve as an indicator of glaucoma severity and reflect changes in peripapillary vasculature.