Role of optical coherence tomography angiography in the evaluation of peripheral ischemia in retinal vein occlusion

Abstract

In the last decade, optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) has become part of the clinical management of retinal vein occlusion (RVO), proving in itself a useful technique for both the prediction of visual acuity (VA) outcomes and the risk of complications. In fact, OCTA has been proven a valid imaging technique in detailed assessment of foveal and parafoveal microvascular status in both acute and chronic RVO. Quantitative OCTA data have shown a significant correlation not only with final VA but also with the extension of peripheral ischemia, which represents a major risk factor for macular edema recurrence and neovascularization onset. Finally, wide-field OCTA represents a promising noninvasive technique for the assessment of peripheral ischemia. The aim of this review is to report the main literature findings about microvascular changes and clinical applications of OCTA in the context of RVO-induced peripheral ischemia.