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Updated: May 29, 2025
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Assessing Early Stage Open-Angle Glaucoma in Patients by Isolated-Check Visual Evoked Potential
Published on: May 25, 2020
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Optic Disc Microvasculature Reduction and Visual Field Progression in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma.
Min Hee Suh1, Robert N Weinreb2, Evan Walker2
1From the Department of Ophthalmology (M.H.S.), Haeundae Paik Hospital, Inje University College of Medicine, Busan, South Korea.
American Journal of Ophthalmology
|February 8, 2025
Summary
Optic disc vessel density reduction is linked to visual field progression in primary open-angle glaucoma. This finding highlights the role of optic nerve head circulation in glaucoma development.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Glaucoma Research
- Microvascular Imaging
Background:
- Primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) is a leading cause of irreversible blindness.
- Visual field (VF) progression is a key indicator of glaucoma severity.
- Optic disc vessel density (ODVD) is a potential biomarker for glaucoma.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between optic disc vessel density (ODVD) reduction and visual field (VF) progression in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) patients.
- To determine if ODVD reduction is an independent predictor of VF progression.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective case series of 187 POAG eyes with at least 3 years of follow-up.
- Analysis included spectral-domain optical coherence tomography and swept-source OCT angiography.
- ODVD reduction defined by statistically significant negative slope; VF progression assessed over time.
Main Results:
- 48.1% of eyes showed ODVD reduction, and 29.9% had VF progression.
- Eyes with ODVD reduction had a significantly higher rate of VF progression (56.7% vs 5.2%).
- VF progression associated with faster global ODVD change (OR, 5.10) and retinal nerve fiber layer thinning (OR, 39.6).
Conclusions:
- Optic disc microvasculature reduction is associated with VF progression in POAG.
- This association persists even after adjusting for retinal nerve fiber layer thinning.
- Deep optic nerve head circulation plays a role in the pathogenesis of glaucoma.
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