Abstract
PurposeWe investigated the whole macular choroidal thickness in subjects with glaucoma in order to evaluate the effects of glaucoma and glaucoma visual field damage on the choroidal thickness.Subjects and MethodsWe examined 40 primary open angle glaucoma patients with only superior visual field defects and 48 normal controls. The macular choroidal thickness was measured using swept-source optical coherence tomography according to the three-dimensional raster scan protocol (6×6 mm). We used the choroidal thickness within a 1.0-mm circle measured on ETDRS grids as the central sector and then used a 6×6 rectangular grid to divide the area into six sectors.ResultsNo significant differences were found in the choroidal thickness values between the glaucoma and normal subjects in any of the sectors after adjusting for the age and axial length (all P>0.4, ANCOVA). According to a stepwise analysis of the glaucoma subjects performed using the parameters of age, axial length, central corneal thickness and mean deviation (MD value) obtained by static perimetry, age was the most predictive and significant factor in all sectors (coefficient = −3.091 to −4.091 and F value = 15.629 to 22.245), followed by axial length (coefficient = −10.428 to −23.458 and F value = 2.454 to 6.369). The central corneal thickness and MD values were not significant predictive factors in any of the sectors. No significant predictive factors were found for the differences in the choroidal thickness values observed between the superior and inferior field sectors.ConclusionsNeither the glaucoma-related visual field damage nor glaucoma itself have any apparent associations with the whole macular choroidal thickness.Trial RegistrationJapan Clinical Trials Register (http://www.umin.ac.jp/ctr/ number, UMIN 000012527).
Highlights
Whether the choroidal thickness is truly associated with the etiology or progression of glaucoma remains unknown
No significant differences were found in the choroidal thickness values between the glaucoma and normal subjects in any of the sectors after adjusting for the age and axial length
Neither the glaucoma-related visual field damage nor glaucoma itself have any apparent associations with the whole macular choroidal thickness
Summary
Whether the choroidal thickness is truly associated with the etiology or progression of glaucoma remains unknown. Previous studies have reported that a thinner choroidal thickness value at the fovea is associated with an older age [3,4,5,6,7,8,9], longer axial length [3,4,5,6,8,9] and thicker central corneal thickness (CCT) [6,9]. Usui et al reported that, in highly myopic eyes (with a spherical equivalent refractive error between -6 and -12 diopters, and an axial length greater than 26.5 mm), NTG patients exhibit thinner choroidal values at the fovea and around the optic disc than subjects without glaucoma [11]. Even if the choroidal thinning or thickening is associated with glaucoma, whether such changes in the choroidal thickness values are primary or occur secondarily due to the progression of glaucoma remains unknown
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