Comparison of vessel density and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in patients between both eyes of subjects with clinically unilateral pseudoexfoliation syndrome using optical coherence tomography angiography

Abstract

AbstractPurposeThe purpose of the study was to compare vessel density (VD) and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) between eyes with pseudoexfoliation material (PE+) and fellow unaffected (PE−) eyes of patients using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).MethodsA retrospective analysis of 36 eyes from 18 patients with clinically unilateral pseudoexfoliation syndrome was performed. The circumpapillary (cp) VD and RNFLT were obtained using OCTA and perifoveal, parafoveal VD and RNFLT were also calculated using OCTA. Circumpapillary parameters were obtained from octametric sections: superonasal (SN), nasalsuperior (NS), nasalinferior (NI), inferonasal (IN), inferotemporal (IT), temporalinferior (TI), temporalsuperior (TS), and superotemporal (ST) and perifoveal, parafoveal parameters were obtained in 4 different quadrants: temporal, nasal, inferior, superior.ResultsIn PE+ eyes, the cpVD was significantly lower in all eight sectors (p < 0.05), while the cpRNFLT showed significant reduction in six sectors (p < 0.05): NS, NI, IN, IT, ST and SN). Perifoveal VD was significantly decreased in temporal, inferior quadrant (p < 0.05) and parafoveal VD was significantly lower in only temporal quadrant (p < 0.05) in the PE+ group. While, significant difference was not detected in RNFLT between PE+ and PE− eyes.ConclusionsEyes with clinically unilateral pseudoexfoliation syndrome have low VD and thin RNFLT as compared to fellow unaffected eyes, but not with the all sectors. These changes appear to be associated with pseudoexfoliation material. The roles and mechanisms in pseudoexfoliative material need clarification.