Plexus-specific retinal capillary avascular area in exudative age-related macular degeneration with projection-resolved OCT angiography

Br J Ophthalmol. 2022 May;106(5):719-723. doi: 10.1136/bjophthalmol-2020-317562. Epub 2020 Dec 22.

Abstract

Objective: To detect the plexus-specific retinal capillary avascular area in exudative age-related macular degeneration (EAMD) with projection-resolved optical coherence tomography angiography (PR-OCTA).

Methods and analysis: In this prospective cross-sectional single centre study, eyes with treatment-naïve EAMD underwent macular 3×3 mm OCTA with AngioVue system. OCTA scans were analysed and processed including three-dimensional projection artefact removal, retinal layer semi-automated segmentation and en face angiogram generation. Automated quantification of extrafoveal (excluding the central 1 mm circle) avascular area (EAA) were calculated on projection-resolved superficial vascular complex (SVC), intermediate capillary plexus (ICP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP), respectively.

Results: Nineteen eyes with EAMD and 19 age-matched healthy control eyes were included. There was no significant difference between the EAMD and control eyes in terms of age, sex, axial length and mean ocular perfusion pressure (all p>0.05). Compared with control eyes, EAMD eyes had significantly larger EAA in SVC (median 0.125 vs 0.059 mm2, p=0.006), ICP (0.016 vs 0.000 mm2, p=0.004) and DCP (0.033 vs 0.000 mm2, p<0.001).

Conclusion: PR-OCTA showed that EAMD is associated with focal avascular area in all the three retinal vascular plexuses.

Keywords: imaging; macula; neovascularisation; retina.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Capillaries
  • Cross-Sectional Studies
  • Fluorescein Angiography / methods
  • Humans
  • Macular Degeneration*
  • Prospective Studies
  • Retina
  • Retinal Vessels / diagnostic imaging
  • Tomography, Optical Coherence* / methods