Longitudinal Changes in Macular Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography Metrics in Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma With High Myopia: A Prospective Study

Author(s): Fengbin Lin (1), Fei Li (1), Kai Gao (1), Wanbing He (1), Jun Zeng (1), Yu Chen (1), Meiling Chen (1), Weijing Cheng (1), Yunhe Song (1), Yuying Peng (1), Ling Jin (1), Timothy P H Lin (2), Yumeng Wang (3), Clement C Tham (3), Carol Y Cheung (3), Xiulan Zhang (1)

1 State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.
2 Faculty of Medicine, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.
3 Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China.

PURPOSE: To characterize longitudinal changes in macular microvasculature as quantified from optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) metrics in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) eyes with and without high myopia.

METHODS: In total, 63 and 61 POAG eyes with and without high myopia, respectively, underwent swept-source OCTA imaging in at least four follow-up visits at an ophthalmic center, with a scanning protocol of 3- × 3-mm centered at the fovea. The foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, FAZ circularity, and vessel density (VD) in both the superficial (SCP) and deep capillary plexuses (DCP) were measured. The rate of change in macular OCTA metrics over time was estimated using linear mixed-effects models in both groups of POAG eyes.

RESULTS: The mean follow-up time and number of visits were 27.72 ± 8.57 months and 8.5 (8 to 13) times, and 30.95 ± 10.19 months and 10 (8‒13) times in POAG eyes with and without high myopia, respectively. VD in the DCP reduced significantly more quickly in POAG eyes with high myopia than in those without high myopia (-5.14%/year vs. -3.71%/year, P = 0.008). Moreover, lower baseline VD in the DCP was significantly associated with faster VD reduction in POAG with high myopia eyes (P < 0.001). Conversely, the VD reduction rate in the SCP, FAZ area, and FAZ circularity in both the SCP and DCP were similar in both groups (all Ps > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS: VD in DCP reduced significantly more quickly in POAG eyes with high myopia over time. Density in the DCP reduced more quickly when baseline VD was low. Conflict of interest statement

DISCLOSURE: F. Lin, None; F. Li, None; K. Gao, None; W. He, None; J. Zeng, None; Y. Chen, None; M. Chen, None; W. Cheng, None; Y. Song, None; Y. Peng, None; L. Jin, None; T.P.H. Lin, None; Y. Wang, None; C.C. Tham, None; C.Y. Cheung, None; X. Zhang, None

Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2021 Jan 4;62(1):30.doi: 10.1167/iovs.62.1.30.

PMID: 33507229

Experimental Paper of the Month manager: Marta Pazos