Correlation of capillary plexus with visual acuity in idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane eyes using optical coherence tomography angiography

Abstract

Objective: To observe changes in foveal avascular zone(FAZ) and capillary plexus in idiopathic macular epiretinal membrane (IMEM) in optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) and analyze their correlation with the visual acuity. Methods: Cross-sectional study. 42 patients (15 Males and 27 females, age 64.8) from the Eye Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were included with 51 eyes diagnosed as IMEM (IMEM group), and 23 normal eyes (9 Males and 14 females, control group). All patients received the examination of fissure lamp combined with fundus pre-set lens, best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), OCT angiography (OCTA) and fundus photo. OCTA was performed on 3 mm× 3 mm sections centred on the fovea. The software automatically measured the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) vessel density(VD) and retinal thickness(RT) and FAZ area. The IMEM eyes were compared with the normal eyes and correlation between the parameters of OCTA and BCVA was analyzed in IMEM. Independent-sample t test and MannWhitney test were used for comparison between groups, and Spearman test was used for correlation analysis. Results: LogMAR BCVA in the IMEM group was 0.40(0.15, 0.70), in the control group was 0.10(0.05, 0.22). FAZ area of IMEM group was (0.09±0.05) mm(2), while that of control group was (0.34±0.13)mm(2).Compared with the control group, in IMEM group, the BCVA was worse (Z=-4.443, P<0.001), FAZ area was smaller (t=-9.198, P<0.001), RT was increased (P<0.001), The foveal DCP and SCP vessel density was increased (t=4.280, 9.079, P<0.01), The parafoveal DCP vessel density was decreased (P<0.05), The parafoveal SCP vessel density was decreased in superior, inferior and nasal side (t=-2.759, Z=-3.998, Z=-2.108; P<0.05). The BCVA was negatively correlated with FAZ area (r=-0.337, P=0.017), positively correlated with center macular thickness (r=0.324, P=0.020). The BCVA was no correlated with foveal VD and parafoveal DCP vessel density (P>0.05), but correlated with SCP vessel density(P<0.05). Conclusions: In the IMEM eyes the BCVA was worse, FAZ area was smaller, foveal vessel density was increased and the parafoveal vessel density was decreased compared with the normal eyes. The smaller the FAZ area, the smaller foveal SCP vessel density, the poorer BCVA. There was no correlation between BCVA and DCP vessel density. Changes in VD in IMEM eyes may lead to changes in vision. (Chin J Ophthalmol, 2019, 55:757-762).