Macular superficial vascular density on optical coherence tomography angiography in children with unilateral anisometropic and bilateral hyperopic amblyopia

Abstract

We analyzed whether macular superficial vascular density (SVD) and foveal vascular zone (FAZ) on optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) can distinguish between bilateral ametropic and anisometropic amblyopia. We included 42, 33, and 50 eyes in the bilateral ametropic amblyopia, anisometropic amblyopia, and normal control groups, respectively. Using macular swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography, we measured and analyzed the superficial FAZ areas and five sectoral macular SVDs after magnification correction. The anisometropic amblyopic eye group showed significantly increased foveal SVDs (p < 0.001) and significantly decreased superficial FAZ areas (p < 0.001), compared with the remaining groups. Additionally, the bilateral ametropic amblyopia group had significantly decreased nasal SVDs. SVDs and superficial FAZ areas differed among hyperopic amblyopia subtypes. These findings may reflect vascular distribution differences and macular changes in hyperopic amblyopia subtypes compared with normal eyes.