Quantitative optical coherence tomography angiography of radial peripapillary capillaries in glaucoma, glaucoma suspect, and normal eyes

Z. Mammo, M. Heisler, Chandrakumar Balaratnasingam, S. Lee, Dao-Yi Yu, P. Mackenzie, S. Schendel, A. Merkur, A. Kirker, D. Albiani, E. Navajas, M.F. Beg, William Morgan, M.V. Sarunic

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Abstract

© 2016 Elsevier Inc. Purpose To evaluate the quantitative characteristics of the radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) network in glaucoma, glaucoma suspect, and normal eyes using speckle variance optical coherence tomography angiography (OCT-A). To determine correlations between RPC density, nerve fiber layer (NFL) thickness, and visual field indices. Design Cross-sectional study. Methods OCT-A images of RPCs were acquired at a single institution using a custom-built 1060 nm system from 3 groups: unilateral glaucoma (10 eyes from 5 subjects), glaucoma suspects (6 eyes from 3 subjects), and normal control eyes (16 eyes from 9 normal subjects). Peripapillary NFL thickness measurements were determined using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. Glaucoma and glaucoma suspects also underwent automated 30-2 Humphrey visual field analysis. Manual tracing techniques were used to quantify RPC density in the OCT-A images. Data were analyzed using a linear mixed model with 1 fixed-effect covariate. Correlations between main outcome measures (RPC density, NFL thickness, and visual field index) were determined. Results Mean age was not significantly different between the 3 groups (P = .25). The density of RPCs was significantly lower in glaucomatous eyes compared with matched-peripapillary regions in the fellow eye, glaucoma suspect group, and normal group (all P <.001). RPC density was strongly correlated with NFL thickness (P <.001) and visual field index (P <.001). Conclusions Significant reductions in RPC density were correlated with sites of NFL decrease and visual field loss in glaucoma. Speckle variance OCT-A allows visualization and quantification of RPCs and may therefore be a useful tool for indirectly quantifying and monitoring retinal ganglion cell axonal injury in glaucoma.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)41-49
Number of pages9
JournalAmerican Journal of Ophthalmology
Volume170
Early online date25 Jul 2016
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Oct 2016

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