Retinal optical coherence tomography angiography findings of acute anterior uveitis.

Gulay Yalcinkaya,Cigdem Altan,Berna Basarir,Ihsan Cakir

doi:10.1007/s10792-021-02129-w

Abstract

To evaluate the changes in retinal microvasculature in eyes with anterior uveitis (AU) using optical coherence tomography angiography. Foveal avascular zone (FAZ) of superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP), vessel density (VD) of SCP, DCP, and choriocapillaris, and central macular thickness (CMT) and central foveal thickness (CFT) were calculated from 34 healthy and 41 uveitic eyes. The parameters were compared between the two groups. The deep FAZ was significantly smaller in the eyes with AU during the attack than after recovery and the control group (p = 0.001 and p = 0.003, respectively). The VD in deep capillary plexus (DCP) in eyes with AU during the attack was significantly higher than the control group (p = 0.048). The VD in the foveal sector of DCP in eyes with AU during the attack and after recovery was significantly higher than the control group (p = 0.001 and p = 0.031, respectively). There was no significant difference regarding CMT, CFT, VDs of each segment and each sector, and superficial and deep FAZ between eyes with first uveitis attack and those with recurrent uveitis during the attack and after recovery (p > 0.05). The results of this study show that there is a reduction in the FAZ and an increase in the VD of the DCP of the retina during active AU, and these findings are reversible. Acute AU may affect the macular microvasculature, which is usually temporary, especially in the DCP.

Highlights

The most prevalent inflammatory disease of eye is the uveitis which is a leading cause of vision loss, especially in young populations [1]
The results of this study show that there is a reduction in the Foveal avascular zone (FAZ) and an increase in the vessel density (VD) of the deep capillary plexus (DCP) of the retina during active anterior uveitis (AU), and these findings are reversible
The eyes excluded from the study comprised 2 vitrectomized eyes because of epiretinal membrane (ERM), 3 eyes with ERM, 1 eye with macular hole, and 1 eye that had a history of blunt trauma

Summary

Introduction

The most prevalent inflammatory disease of eye is the uveitis which is a leading cause of vision loss, especially in young populations [1]. The most common form of uveitis is anterior uveitis (AU), which accounts for 49% of all cases [1]. It is described by inflammation in primarily the iris and/or ciliary body. Posterior segment changes are a frequent manifestation of uveitis regardless matter where the disease is located [2,3,4,5,6]. Even mild forms of AU could cause changes in the posterior segment that may not be observed via biomicroscopic fundus examinations [9]. Retinal vascular complications are one of the more frequent manifestations in the posterior segments [10, 11]

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