Vessel Density Loss of the Deep Peripapillary Area in Glaucoma Suspects and Its Association with Features of the Lamina Cribrosa

Abstract

Purpose: To investigate the association of decreased vessel density (VD) in the deep peripapillary region and structural features of the lamina cribrosa (LC). Materials and Methods: 70 eyes of glaucoma suspects with enlarged cup-to-disc ratio were scanned and 51 eyes with adequate image quality were included in this study. All subjects had localized VD defects in the deep layer but intact VD in the superficial layer around the peripapillary region using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Only single-hemizone OCTA results from one eye of each subject had to fulfill the distinctive feature mentioned above to perform inter-eye and inter-hemizone comparisons. The thickness and depth of the LC, and prelaminar thickness were measured using enhanced depth imaging OCT (EDI-OCT). Paired t-tests were performed to evaluate differences in measurements of the LC and prelaminar thickness within each individual. p-values lower than 0.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Results: Eyes with deep VD defects in the peripapillary region in OCTA had thinner LC than the fellow eyes. The hemizone with the deep VD defects in the peripapillary region had a thinner LC and a deeper depth of LC than the other hemizone in the same eye. According to logistic regression analysis, a thin LC was a significant factor associated with deep VD defect in the peripapillary region. Conclusions: Glaucoma suspect eyes with deep VD defects in the peripapillary area exhibited structural differences in the LC. The structural changes of the LC was associated with the vessel density in the deep peripapillary layer at the stage of suspected glaucoma.

Features Associated with Visible Lamina Cribrosa Pores in Individuals of African Ancestry with Glaucoma: Primary Open-Angle African Ancestry Glaucoma Genetics (POAAGG) Study

“…LC thinning has also been associated with large CDRs and decreased vessel density in glaucoma suspects [ 32 , 33 , 34 ]. LC parameters such as cup depth, LC depth, prelaminar tissue thickness, and LC curvature index were associated with higher IOPs and thinner nerve fiber layers [ 35 ], as well as with a faster rate of RNFL loss [ 36 ]. Depth variations in the cup floor also differed between groups of normal subjects and glaucoma patients.…”

Clinical Implication of Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Schisis and Macular Fluorescein Leakage in Primary Idiopathic Epiretinal Membrane

“…8,9 Although NFL and superficial retinal vessels are located in the retinal RNFL, no study has correlated NFL schisis and FA leakage in ERM with visual prognosis after vitrectomy. 10 Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the relationship between macular fluorescein leakage and RNFL schisis as visual prognostic factors for ERM. We also compared preoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), postoperative BCVA, and the degree of improvement in BCVA between the groups with or without macular fluorescein leakage and RNFL schisis.…”

Updates in Clinical and Translational Glaucoma Research

“…Jeon et al [ 20 ] showed clinical research results on “Vessel Density Loss of the Deep Peripapillary Area in Glaucoma Suspects and Its Association with Features of the Lamina Cribrosa”. These authors found that glaucoma suspects, with eyes having vessel density defects in the peripapillary area also displayed structural differences in the lamina cribrosa.…”