Changes in vascular density of optic nerve head in diabetic 1 patients with no retinopathy using optical coherence tomography angiography

Abstract

Aims/Purpose: To analyse optic nerve head (ONH) blood perfusion using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in Type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM12) patients without retinopathy and in healthy control eyes.Methods: A total of 33 DM1 subjects without diabetic retinopathy (DR) and 24 age‐matched healthy individuals were assessed by OCTA to quantify radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) plexus density thickness in the four areas of the ETDRS grid.Results: Mean ages were 50.64 ± 9.05 for the DM1 group and 53.17 ± 4.56 years for the control group, with no differences between groups (p = 0.22). Superior RPC value was 64.48 ± 4.37 versus 64.45 ± 6.13 (p = 0.98), temporal RPC value was 57.42 ± 7.04 versus 55.07 ± 5.03 (p = 0.21), nasal RPC value was 59.58 ± 5.03 versus 61.00 ± 4.74 (p = 0.31), and inferior RPC value was 64.57 ± 4.17 versus 62.86 ± 7.21 (p = 0.32), in the DM1 group and in the control group, respectively.Conclusions: DM1 patients presented lower values in all areas except I compared to healthy individuals, with no significant differences. Larger cohort studies need to support RPC density as a possible biomarker in detecting eyes with DR.