Microvascular assessment of macula, choroid, and optic disk in children with unilateral amblyopia using OCT angiography.

PURPOSE: To investigate the microvascular changes of macula, choroid, and optic disk in children with unilateral amblyopia. METHODS: This prospective cross-sectional study involved 39 unilateral amblyopic children and 39 age- and sex-matched heathy participants who served as control. Vessel densities of the superficial and deep capillary plexuses (SCP and DCP), foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area, macular thickness, optic disk vessel density, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, choriocapillaris vessel density, and subfoveal choroidal thickness were evaluated by OCT angiography (OCTA). Meanwhile, the correlations of microvascular perfusion and structural changes of macula, choroid, and optic disk were analyzed. RESULTS: The vessel density of SCP and DCP in the whole macula in the amblyopic group was significantly lower than that in the control group after adjusting for age, axial length, and spherical equivalents (all P < 0.05). FAZ area, macular thickness, RNFL thickness, and the optic disk vessel density were not statistically different between the amblyopic group and the control group (all P > 0.05). Subfoveal choroidal thickness of amblyopic eyes was significantly higher than that of control eyes(P = 0.032). Choriocapillaris flow void (FV) in the amblyopic group was greater than that in the control group (P = 0.013). Significant differences were observed between the fellow eyes and the control eyes in choriocapillaris FV and subfoveal choroidal thickness (P = 0.011 and P = 0.042, respectively). Foveal SCP and DCP vessel density in all studied eyes were positively correlated with the whole macular thickness, respectively (r = 0.556 and r = 0.627, respectively, both P < 0.001). Whole SCP and DCP vessel density in the amblyopic eyes were negatively correlated with choriocapillaris FV (r = -0.723, P < 0.001; r = -0.512, P = 0.001, respectively). CONCLUSION: Children with amblyopic eyes have attenuated macular and choriocapillaris perfusion. There is a need for future studies that will investigate the pathophysiology of amblyopia in children by OCTA.

Assessment of the choroidal thickness, central macular vascular and optic disk perfusion in migraine patients with optical coherence tomography angiography.

BACKGROUND: Comparing the central choroidal thickness (CCT) and the perfusion of the macula and optic disk in patients with migraine and control group participants using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). METHODS: A total of 38 patients diagnosed with migraine and 32 healthy controls were recruited. OCTA scans were performed on all participants. Optic disk, central macular vascular perfusions, and CCT were measured. RESULTS: Thirty-eight eyes of 38 participants (34 female and 4 male) in the migraine group and 32 eyes of 32 participants (19 female and 13 male) in the healthy control (HC) group were evaluated. The mean age was 42.74 ± 8.14 and 43.09 ± 14.28 years in the migraine group and HC group, respectively. The mean CCT were 314 ± 103 µm and 301 ± 71 µm in the migraine and HC group, respectively (p = 0.54). The mean optic disk perfusions were 44.77 ± 1.93% and 45.25 ± 1.43% in migraine and HC group, respectively (p = 0.25). The mean central macular vascular perfusions were 20.50 ± 8.20% and 18.65 ± 7.46% in migraine and HC group, respectively (p = 0.32). There was a significant negative correlation between CCT and the duration of migraine history (p = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: The macular and peripapillary microvasculature were not significantly different in patients with migraine than in HC. As the duration of migraine prolonged, a significant decrease in choroidal thickness was observed.