Age-Related Changes in Choroidal Thickness and the Volume of Vessels and Stroma Using Swept-Source OCT and Fully Automated Algorithms

Reticular pseudodrusen are associated with a thinner choroid. The aim of our study was to determine the differences in central choroidal thickness and choriocapillaris vascular flow area between eyes with and without reticular pseudodrusen using swept-source optical coherence tomography and swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography. We conducted a retrospective case control study which included 27 eyes from 27 consecutive patients with intermediate age-related macular degeneration and 17 eyes from 17 healthy participants. Complete ophthalmic examinations were carried out including axial length measurements; fundus color retinography; fundus autofluorescence; swept-source optical coherence tomography and swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography; central choroidal thickness and choriocapillaris vascular flow area. Patients were classified as no reticular pseudodrusen, mild reticular pseudodrusen, and severe reticular pseudodrusen. Mean central choroidal thickness in patients exhibiting severe reticular pseudodrusen (110 ± 56 μm) was significantly smaller than in patients with no reticular pseudodrusen (201 ± 76 μm, p < 0.01). Mean choriocapillaris vascular flow area in severe reticular pseudodrusen patients (45.2% ± 3.0%) was also significantly less than in patients with no (47.9% ± 1.6%, p < 0.001) and mild reticular pseudodrusen (47.7% ± 1.0%, p < 0.05). Stepwise multiple regression models confirmed the association of reticular pseudodrusen with central choroidal thickness (p < 0.001) and choriocapillaris vascular flow area (p < 0.01) even after accounting for age, axial length, and refractive error. Soft drusen were not associated with changes in either central choroidal thickness (p = 0.13) nor choriocapillaris vascular flow area (p = 0.29). A significant, positive relationship was found between central choroidal thickness and choriocapillaris vascular flow area (r = 0.44, p = 0.01). Therefore, both central choroidal thickness and choriocapillaris vascular flow area are decreased in eyes with reticular pseudodrusen, as compared to healthy eyes and intermediate age-related macular degeneration eyes not exhibiting reticular pseudodrusen. In addition, central choroidal thickness and choriocapillaris vascular flow area are related, and the reduction of either is directly associated to the severity of reticular pseudodrusen. Further studies are needed to assess the clinical significance of these findings.

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En Face Swept Source OCT Study of Neovascular Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Atlas of Swept Source Optical Coherence Tomography ◽

10.1007/978-3-319-49840-9_6 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 49-56

Author(s):

Ignacio Flores-Moreno ◽

Luis Arias-Barquet ◽

Jorge Ruiz-Medrano ◽

José M. Ruiz-Moreno ◽

Josep M. Caminal

Keyword(s):

Macular Degeneration ◽

Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽

Swept Source ◽

Age Related ◽

En Face ◽

Swept Source Oct

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Direct comparison of spectral-domain and swept-source OCT in the measurement of choroidal thickness in normal eyes

British Journal of Ophthalmology ◽

10.1136/bjophthalmol-2013-303904 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 98 (3) ◽

pp. 334-338 ◽

Cited By ~ 100

Author(s):

Sergio Copete ◽

Ignacio Flores-Moreno ◽

Javier A Montero ◽

Jay S Duker ◽

José M Ruiz-Moreno

Keyword(s):

Choroidal Thickness ◽

Spectral Domain ◽

Swept Source ◽

Swept Source Oct

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Choroidal Thickness and Choroidal Vessel Density in Nonexudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration Using Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging

Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science ◽

10.1167/iovs.16-20161 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 57 (14) ◽

pp. 6256 ◽

Cited By ~ 28

Author(s):

Fang Zheng ◽

Giovanni Gregori ◽

Karen B. Schaal ◽

Andrew D. Legarreta ◽

Andrew R. Miller ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Optical Coherence Tomography ◽

Macular Degeneration ◽

Choroidal Thickness ◽

Vessel Density ◽

Age Related Macular Degeneration ◽

Optical Coherence ◽

Swept Source ◽

Tomography Imaging ◽

Age Related ◽

Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging

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Evaluation of Choroidal Thickness Using Optical Coherent Tomography: A Review

Frontiers in Medicine ◽

10.3389/fmed.2021.783519 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Rui Xie ◽

Bingjie Qiu ◽

Jay Chhablani ◽

Xinyuan Zhang

Keyword(s):

Optical Coherence Tomography ◽

Choroidal Thickness ◽

Enhanced Depth Imaging ◽

Swept Source ◽

Depth Imaging ◽

Spectral Domain Oct ◽

Tremendous Progress ◽

Measurement Methodology ◽

Swept Source Oct ◽

Spectrum Disorders

The choroid is the main source of blood and nourishment supply to the eye. The dysfunction of the choroid has been implicated in various retinal and choroidal diseases. The identification and in-depth understanding of pachychoroid spectrum disorders are based on the tremendous progress of optical coherence tomography (OCT) technology in recent years, although visibility of choroid is challenging in the era of the time or spectral domain OCT. The recent rapid revolution of OCTs, such as the enhanced depth imaging OCT and the swept-source OCT, has greatly contributed to the significant improvement in the analysis of the morphology and physiology of the choroid precisely, especially to the choroid–scleral boundary and vasculature. The present review highlights the recently available evidence on the measurement methodology and the clinical significance of choroidal thickness in retinal or choroidal disorders.

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Swept-source OCT reduces the risk of axial length measurement errors in eyes with cataract and epiretinal membranes

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0257654 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (9) ◽

pp. e0257654

Author(s):

Francesco Faraldi ◽

Carlo Alessandro Lavia ◽

Marco Nassisi ◽

Raphael A. Kilian ◽

Daniela Bacherini ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Axial Length ◽

Measurement Errors ◽

Partial Coherence ◽

Prediction Errors ◽

Biometric Data ◽

Swept Source ◽

Epiretinal Membranes ◽

Age Related ◽

Macular Pseudohole ◽

Swept Source Oct

Aims To compare the biometric data from partial coherence interferometry (PCI) and swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) in patients with age-related cataract and epiretinal membrane (ERM): ERM, ERM with foveoschisis and macular pseudohole. Methods 49 eyes of 49 subjects including 36 ERM, 9 ERM foveoschisis and 4 macular pseudohole were analysed to evaluate the axial length (AL) measurements and the presence of AL measurement errors, defined basing on the shape of the biometric output graphs and on the concordance of AL values between instruments. Eyes with ERM were divided in four stages according to OCT features (i.e. presence/absence of the foveal pit, presence of ectopic inner foveal layers, disrupted retinal layers). Results The devices provided similar mean AL measurements in all subgroups, with differences <0.1 mm in 41/49 cases (83.6%). AL measurement errors were observed in ERM stages 3 and 4, characterized by ectopic inner foveal layers, and were significantly more frequent with the PCI (8/17, 47%) as compared with the SS-OCT device (2/17, 12%), p = 0.02. The refractive prediction error in cases with AL measurement errors was significantly greater using the PCI compared to the SS-OCT device (p<0.05). Conclusion Both devices provide reliable biometric data in the majority of patients and can be used in the preoperative assessment of patients with age-related cataract and ERM. In eyes with ectopic inner foveal layers, attention should be paid as AL measurement and refractive prediction errors may occur, more frequently with the PCI device.

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Choroidal Thickness Profile in Chorioretinal Diseases: Beyond the Macula

Frontiers in Medicine ◽

10.3389/fmed.2021.797428 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 8 ◽

Author(s):

Young Ho Kim ◽

Jaeryung Oh

Keyword(s):

Clinical Studies ◽

Choroidal Thickness ◽

Posterior Part ◽

Enhanced Depth Imaging ◽

Diagnostic Tools ◽

Swept Source ◽

Clinical Method ◽

Reliable Parameter ◽

Swept Source Oct ◽

Ct Measurement

Enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) and swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) have emerged as essential diagnostic tools in the study and management of various chorioretinal diseases. Evidence from early clinical studies using EDI-OCT and SS-OCT indicates that choroidal dysfunction plays a major role in the pathogenesis of chorioretinal diseases. Measurement of choroidal thickness (CT) has already become a major research and clinical method, and CT is considered as an indicator of choroidal status in a variety of ophthalmic diseases. Recently, CT measurement has also been proposed as a non-invasive marker for the early detection and monitoring of various systemic diseases. Among the several possible CT measurement locations, subfoveal CT has rapidly become a reliable parameter for measuring CT in healthy and diseased eyes. Moreover, recent advancements in OCT technology have enabled faster and wider imaging of the posterior part of the eye, allowing the various changes in CT as measured outside the macula to be shown accordingly. In this review, we first provide an overview of the results of clinical studies that have analyzed the healthy macular choroid and that in various chorioretinal diseases, and then summarize the current understanding of the choroid outside the macula. We also examine the CT profile as an index that encompasses both within and outside of the macula. Furthermore, we describe the clinical applications of ultrawide OCT, which enables visualization of the far periphery, and discuss the prospects for the development of more reliable choroidal parameters that can better reflect the choroid's characteristics.

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