Influence of Refractive Error on Circumpapillary Structure-Function Versus Vessel Density-Function Relationships in Open Angle Glaucoma.

PRCIS: In Japanese open angle glaucoma (OAG) eyes correlation of 30-degree visual field mean deviation (MD) and visual field index (VFI) with circumpapillary vessel density is systematically stronger than that with circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT), and is preserved in myopia and high myopia. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of refractive error on the relationship between circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (cpRNFLT) and circumpapillary vessel density (cpVD), respectively, and global visual field parameters in Japanese open angle glaucoma (OAG) eyes. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One eye of 81 Japanese OAG patients (spherical equivalent refractive error: +3.0 to -9.0 D) underwent 360-degree cpRNFLT and cpVD measurements with Cirrus HD 5000-AngioPlex optical coherence tomography and 30-2 Humphrey visual field testing for mean deviation (MD) and visual field index (VFI) within 1 month. Correlations were determined for the whole population and each refractive error subgroups, separately: emmetropia/hyperopia (n=24), mild (n=18), moderate (n=20), and high myopia (n=19). RESULTS: For the total population, significant strong to very strong correlations were found between MD, VFI, and both cpRNFLT and cpVD, respectively, with consistently higher r -values for cpVD (highest r -values: 0.532 for cpRNFLT, P <0.001; 0.722 for cpVD, P <0.001). Of the refractive subgroups, statistically significant correlations between cpRNFLT and the visual field parameters were maintained only in the hyperopia/emmetropia and moderate myopia groups. In contrast, statistically significant, strong to very strong correlations between cpVD and both MD and VFI, always exceeding the corresponding r -values found for cpRNFLT were found in all refractive subgroups, with r -values ranging between 0.548 ( P =0.005) and 0.841 ( P <0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that in Japanese OAG eyes the relationship of MD and VFI with cpVD is strong. It is systematically stronger than that with cpRNFLT and preserved in each conventional refractive error category including high myopia.

Effect of Topical Pilocarpine Instilled Before Laser Peripheral Iridotomy on Regional Iris Thickness in Primary Angle Closure Disease: A Swept-Source Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography Pilot Study.

PURPOSE: To determine whether the temporal-superior or the nasal-superior iris area becomes thinner (more optimal) for laser peripheral iridotomy (LPI) after pilocarpine instillation in primary angle closure disease (PACD); and to identify an angle for optimal penetration of the laser beam. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Iris thickness at 2 mm from the iris root in the preset scanning axes was measured using swept-source anterior segment optical coherence tomography before and 60 minutes after the instillation of pilocarpine 2% in one eye of 30 consecutive Japanese PACD patients with thick, dark brown iris. Iris thickness at 1:30 and 10:30 clock hour positions were evaluated in sagittal and oblique directions, resulting sagittal iris thickness (SIT) and minimum iris thickness (MIT) parameters, respectively. RESULTS: Compared to the baseline values, iris thickness decreased significantly (P < .001) in both locations after pilocarpine instillation. Both before and after pilocarpine instillation the temporal-superior iris thickness was significantly smaller than the nasal-superior thickness (P ≤ .001). After pilocarpine instillation, the temporal-superior iris was significantly thinner in an approximately 13° angle direction temporal to the sagittal direction than in the sagittal direction (MIT: 0.322 mm; SIT: 0.346 mm, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: After pilocarpine instillation, the temporal-superior iris and an approximately 13° angle temporal to the sagittal direction may provide an optimal location and laser beam angle for LPI in PACD eyes.

Optical coherence tomography angiography findings of an optic disc melanocytoma in a glaucoma eye.

PURPOSE: To determine the optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) characteristics of a case of optic disc melanocytoma (ODM) associated with glaucomatous visual field and retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) defects in normal tension glaucoma. METHODS: The left eye of a 37-year-old female patient followed for a stable ODM for 10 years was investigated with OCT, OCTA, fluorescein (FA), and indocyanine green (ICGA) angiography. The ODM was unchanged, but a previously unknown inferotemporal neuroretinal rim loss and inferotemporal and superotemporal wedge shape glaucomatous RNFL thinning were seen with corresponding glaucomatous visual field defects. The intraocular pressure was 12 mmHg without treatment. RESULTS: In the area of the ODM, FA showed minimal vasculature, and week staining in the late phase, while ICGA showed no signal. In contrast, OCTA showed a dense vasculature in both the superficial and deep layers of the melanocytoma, which was clearly separated from the capillaries of the peripapillary retina. OCTA also showed reduced peripapillary perfusion in the areas of the glaucomatous RNFL bundle defects. CONCLUSIONS: In the presented case of a stable ODM and newly detected normal tension glaucoma, OCTA provided more information on perfusion than FA and ICGA which are limited by the heavy pigmentation of the ODM. OCTA also showed a similarly decreased capillary perfusion in both RNFL bundle defects suggesting that the structural damage was related to glaucoma and not compression by ODM. These results suggest that OCTA may be a method preferred over conventional angiography in ODM cases.

Circumpapillary microperimetry to detect glaucoma: a pilot study for sector-based comparison to circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer measurement.

PURPOSE: To evaluate and compare the diagnostic performance of circumpapillary microperimetry (MP) sensitivity and circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (cpRNFLT) measured with optical coherence tomography (OCT) for detection of early to moderate open-angle glaucoma. METHODS: Eleven eyes (11 patients) with early or moderate open-angle glaucoma and seven normal eyes (7 subjects) underwent MP (MP-3 microperimeter, NIDEK, Japan) and cpRNFLT measurement (RS-3000 Advance OCT, NIDEK, Japan) using an identical circumpapillary circle and similar measurement sectors. The structure-function relationship and the area under the receiver-operating characteristics curve (AUROC) were investigated for each sector, respectively. RESULTS: Significant differences (P < 0.05) between glaucoma and normal eyes were found for five of the 12 OCT sectors and seven of the 24 MP sectors. High correlation between cpRNFLT and MP sensitivity was found in the inferotemporal area (OCT sector 5) and superotemporal area (OCT sector 1) (r = 0.818, P < 0.001, and r = 0.796, P < 0.001, respectively). The AUROC values in these sectors ranged 0.890-1.000 for cpRNFLT and 0.825-0.981 for MP sensitivity. Overall, the AUROC ranged 0.506-1.000 for sector cpRNFLT and 0.591-0.981 for sector MP sensitivity. CONCLUSIONS: In this pilot study, circumpapillary MP sensitivity and cpRNFLT showed similar diagnostic power. The structure-function relationship was strong for the superotemporal and inferotemporal circumpapillary areas. Our results suggest that circumpapillary MP represents a new aspect of microperimetry in glaucoma. Further studies on larger populations are necessary to clarify whether the current results are confirmed in clinical practice.

Preserved retinal sensitivity in spatial correspondence to an intrachoroidal cavitation area with full thickness retinal defect: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Intrachoroidal cavitation (ICC) in the temporal peripapillary area is a relatively frequent finding in high myopia. However, ICC associated with a full thickness retinal defect rarely observed. We report an unusual case of ICC combined with a full thickness retinal defect in the papillo-macular bundle, in which the spatially corresponding visual field sensitivity was preserved. CASE PRESENTATION: A high myopic and pseudophakic left eye of a 79-year-old Japanese woman was evaluated with swept source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) and Humphrey 30-2 visual field testing for moderate glaucoma. The best-corrected visual acuity was 20/20, the axial length was 28.77 mm, the mean deviation -8.94 dB, and the intraocular pressure was 15 mmHg without medication. The horizontal SS-OCT scans showed a wide ICC with a full thickness retinal defect in the papillo-macular area at the outer border of the myopic peripapillary beta zone atrophy. The retina was herniated into the ICC area. While no sensitivity loss was seen in the central visual field corresponding to the full thickness retinal defect, a glaucomatous visual field deterioration spatially corresponding to the glaucomatous disc damage was present. The preserved retinal sensitivity spatially corresponding to the full thickness retinal defect was confirmed with microperimetry. CONCLUSIONS: Our case suggests that retina herniated in peripapillary ICC temporal to the disc may preserve some function despite the presence of a retinal defect.

Differences of Intrasession Reproducibility of Circumpapillary Total Retinal Thickness and Circumpapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Thickness Measurements Made with the RS-3000 Optical Coherence Tomograph.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the intrasession reproducibility of various thickness parameters used to diagnose and follow-up glaucoma, in particular circumpapillary total retinal thickness (cpTR) provided by the RS-3000 optical coherence tomograph (OCT). METHODS: Fifty-three healthy eyes of 28 subjects underwent three consecutive imaging with the RS-3000 Advance OCT (NIDEK, Aichi,Japan) to evaluate the intrasession reproducibility of circumpapillary total retinal thickness (cpTR), circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (cpRNFL), macular ganglion cell complex thickness (mGCC) and macular total retina thickness (mTR) measurements. Intraclass correlation (ICC), coefficient of variation (CV) and reproducibility coefficient (RC) were calculated for each parameter. RESULTS: The ICC and CV values for mean cpTR and cpRNFL were 0.987 and 0.897, and 0.60% and 2.81%, respectively. The RC values for the mean cpTR and cpRNFL were 5.95 µm and 9.04 µm, respectively. For all cpTR parameters the ICC values were higher and both the CV and RC values were lower than those for the corresponding cpRNFL parameters. The ICC and CV values for superior mGCC, inferior mGCC, superior mTR and inferior mTR were 0.983, 0.980, 0.983 and 0.988, and 0.84%, 0.98%, 0.48% and 0.43%, respectively. The RC values for superior mGCC, inferior mGCC, superior mTR and inferior mTR were 2.86 µm, 3.12 µm, 4.41 µm and 4.43 µm, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Intrasession reproducibility of cpTR, mGCC and mTR measurements made on healthy eyes was high. Repeatability of cpTR measurements was better than that of the corresponding cpRNFL measurements. These results suggest that future clinical investigations addressing detection of glaucoma and glaucomatous progression with the RS-3000 OCT may benefit from focusing on the cpTR parameters.