Correlating 10-2 Visual Field Loss with Structural and Angiographic Parameters in Advanced Glaucoma

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Medical Imaging
• Glaucoma Research

Background:

• Advanced glaucoma significantly impacts visual function.
• Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) offers novel insights into retinal vasculature.
• Understanding vascular changes in glaucoma is crucial for disease management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the correlation between OCTA-derived vascular parameters and functional/structural measures in advanced glaucoma.
• To explore the relationship between OCTA parameters, central visual field (10-2 VF) mean deviation (MD), ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness, and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness.
• To identify potential surrogate markers for monitoring glaucoma progression.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective, cross-sectional study of 28 eyes from 23 patients with advanced glaucoma (VF MD worse than -12 dB).
• Comprehensive ophthalmic examinations including OCT, OCTA, and 10-2 VF testing.
• Pearson's correlation analysis to assess relationships between vascular, structural, and functional parameters.

Main Results:

• Significant positive correlations were observed between GCC thickness and 10-2 VF MD (r=0.529, p=0.005).
• Parafoveal superficial capillary plexus vessel density (SCP-VD) positively correlated with 10-2 VF MD (r=0.549, p=0.002).
• Macular SCP vessel area density correlated with RNFL thickness (r=0.429, p=0.036); mean vessel length in the optic nerve head layer negatively correlated with 10-2 VF MD (r=-0.528, p=0.003).
• Quadrant-wise analysis showed associations between SCP-VD and GCC/RNFL thickness in the superior hemifield, and deep capillary plexus vessel density and RNFL thickness in the inferior hemifield.

Conclusions:

• Parafoveal SCP-VD and GCC thickness demonstrate significant correlations with 10-2 VF MD in advanced glaucoma.
• These OCTA-derived parameters may serve as valuable surrogate markers for monitoring central visual function.
• OCTA parameters can aid in tracking disease progression, especially when standard visual field testing is challenging.