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Purpose: To demonstrate the detection of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in clinically diagnosed central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC) by optical coherence tomographic angiography (OCTA). Methods: Seventy-five eyes of 70 patients were included. OCTA was performed on each patient. Two trained readers evaluated the images independently to confirm the diagnosis and identify CNV at the level of the outer retina. Results: All studied eyes presented characteristics consistent with CSC based on eye examination and traditional imaging technologies, including fundus fluorescein angiography, which showed no evidence of CNV. However, OCTA revealed definite abnormal vascularization at the level of the outer retina in 8 eyes (10.7%) of 8 patients (11.4%). Conclusion: This study suggests that in some cases of CSC, OCTA could be an alternative option to detect CNV that is undetectable by other conventional imaging techniques.

Age‑related macular degeneration (AMD) is a common cause of irreversible blindness in the elderly in the western world. Research has demonstrated that degenerative and progressive conditions of retinal pigmented epithelial (RPE) cells are the key pathogenic mechanisms in AMD. Previous research has indicated the anti‑apoptosis, anti‑oxidant, anti‑inflammatory and anti‑cancer properties of quercetin. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate the protective effects of quercetin on the ARPE‑19 human retinal pigment epithelial cell line. ARPE‑19 cells were pretreated with various concentrations of quercetin (0‑80 µM) before exposure to 300 µM H2O2. Cell viability was assessed and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were determined. The importance of the NF‑E2‑related factor 2 (Nrf2) signaling pathway was corroborated by western blotting and immunostaining. The protein expression levels of endoplasmic reticulum‑associated stress responsive genes and apoptotic markers were assessed by western blotting. The results demonstrated that in the H2O2 group, cell viability was weakened, but preserved in quercetin group in a dose‑dependent manner, particularly at 20 µM. The level of ROS decreased in the quercetin group compared with the control groups. In the quercetin group, the expression levels of Nrf2 and phase II enzymes (NQO1 and HO‑1) were increased, whereas the levels of ER stress markers (binding of immunoglobulin protein, CCAAT/enhancer‑binding protein homologous protein and phosphorylated eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2α) were reduced. Cell apoptosis‑associated protein expression levels were altered, with the increase of B‑cell lymphoma 2 and reduction of Bcl‑2 X‑associated protein. In conclusion, quercetin protected ARPE‑19 cells from H2O2‑induced cytotoxicity by activating the Nrf2 pathway, inhibiting ER stress and targeting anti‑apoptotic proteins.

Morphological differences between Mac tel 1 and DME can be observed on OCTA. Superficial vascular density and non-perfusion area may serve as a quantitative method to identify them. Lasers Surg. Med. 49:225-232, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.