Macular sensitivity in areas of capillary nonperfusion in nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy

Abstract

Aim The aim of this study was to correlate the visual field changes in the central macular area with the areas of capillary nonperfusion seen in fluorescein angiogram in patients with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR). Patients and methods This study included 40 eyes of 32 patients with NPDR attending the Ophthalmic Outpatient Clinic of El-Minia University Hospital during the period from January 2012 to July 2013. All patients were subjected to automated perimetry using a Topcon perimeter. A full-threshold strategy was applied for the central 10° field (program 10–2) fluorescein angiography using the IMAGE Net 2000 fundus camera. Results This study included 40 eyes of 32 patients between 50 and 70 years of age with a mean of 59.3 ± 7.6 years. Of them, there were 12 (37.5%) male and 20 (62.5%) female patients. All patients were noninsulin-dependent diabetic patients with a mean duration of 16.6 ± 5.4 years; 20 (62.5%) patients were hypertensive and 12 (37.5%) were normotensive. Twenty eyes had a rate of 0 dB corresponding to areas of capillary nonperfusion. Sixteen eyes showed a rate of 0 dB less than the areas of capillary nonperfusion. Four eyes showed relatively good retinal sensitivity (rate of 0 dB = 0) despite the presence of definite areas of capillary nonperfusion. The mean sensitivity in these areas ranged between 10.38 ± 1.47 and 12.91 ± 1.43 dB. Conclusion There is a significant correspondence between macular capillary nonperfusion and central field sensitivity in patients with NPDR.