Optical coherence tomography angiography to assess vascular remodeling of the choriocapillaris after low-fluence photodynamic therapy for chronic central serous chorioretinopathy.

Abstract

To evaluate the efficacy of optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) in identifying changes in the choriocapillaris layer after low-fluence verteporfin photodynamic therapy (vPDT) in patients affected by chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (CSCR). Low-fluence vPDT was performed on 28 eyes of 27 patients with CSCR. All patients underwent the following tests at baseline and 6 months after treatment: best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), fluorescein angiography, indocyanine green angiography, enhanced depth imaging OCT and OCTA. Subretinal fluid was completely absorbed in 18 of the 28 affected eyes (64.3%) after low-fluence vPDT ("responders"), and incompletely absorbed in 10 eyes (35.7%) ("non responders"). BCVA was significantly improved (p = 0.006) whereas central foveal thickness and choroidal foveal thickness were significantly decreased (p = 0.001 and p = 0.00 respectively) 6 months after treatment in responders. OCTA revealed a different pattern of vascular remodeling of the choriocapillaris between CSC patients who responded and those who did not respond to low-fluence vPDT.