Changes In Choroidal Thickness Research Articles

Comparison of macular changes and visual outcomes between femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery and conventional phacoemulsification surgery for high myopic cataract patients

BackgroundTo evaluate differences in log MAR best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) improvement and postoperative central foveal thickness (CFT) and choroidal thickness (CT) changes between conventional phacoemulsification surgery (CPS) and femtosecond laser-assisted cataract surgery (FLACS) for high-myopia cataracts.MethodsThis was a retrospective and observational study. One hundred and two eyes of 102 patients with high-myopia cataracts were examined. CPS was performed in 54 eyes, and FLACS was performed in 48 eyes. All eyes underwent logMAR BCVA, CFT and CT of three different sectors preoperatively and one week and six months postoperatively.ResultsThe logMAR BCVA improved significantly after surgery in both groups (both P < 0.001), but no difference was observed in BCVA improvement between the groups (P = 0.554). Moreover, no significant differences were reflected in the changes in CFT, nasal 1 mm CT or temporal 1 mm CT between the two groups, and only subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) in the CPS group decreased significantly compared with that in the FLACS group at any postoperative time (P = 0.003 and 0.026). AL, preoperative logMAR BCVA, and CT of the three regions exhibited a notable correlation with postoperative BCVA (all P < 0.05) according to univariate logistic regression analysis. However, only the AL, preoperative logMAR BCVA and SFCT remained significant in the multivariate model. Postoperative logMAR BCVA revealed a positive correlation with AL and preoperative logMAR BCVA but a negative correlation with SFCT.ConclusionsFLACS was not superior to CPS in improving BCVA but had less impact on SFCT in the treatment of high-myopia cataracts. Eyes with a longer AL, worse preoperative logMAR BCVA and thinner SFCT had a high risk of worse postoperative BCVA.

Choroidal thickness and retinal vascular changes in patients with lichen planus: an inflammatory disease beyond the skin.

Lichen planus (LP) is a common inflammatory condition of unknown etiology that commonly affects the skin and mucous membranes. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a noninvasive technique for identifying early retinal vascular impairment in systemic disease without clinical damage by imaging deep and superficial capillary networks. To assess the impacts of LP on the choroid and assess vascular changes in retinal capillary density using OCTA. This single-center prospective case-control study included 30 therapeutic-naïve LP patients and 30 age and sex-matched healthy individuals. All study subjects underwent a complete ophthalmological examination, including best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) measurement using a Snellen chart, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, intraocular pressure (IOP) measurement, and fundus examination. They were then examined using spectral domain OCT and choroidal thickness was measured. The vessel density of the superficial and deep capillary networks was measured and assessed using OCTA. Patients had significantly thicker choroidal and retinal thickness than controls, with subfoveal, nasal, and temporal areas showing a significant difference. A significantly higher vascular density in the superficial capillary plexus, particularly in the nasal perifoveal area, was found compared to the control group. Significantly, higher vascular density in the deep capillary plexus in the parafoveal area compared to controls was reported. Significant correlations were found between visual acuity and IOP, and age, duration of disease, and severity of disease. This study is the first to reveal that LP patients exhibit choroidal changes and retinal vascular alterations compared to healthy controls.

Retinal and choroidal efficacy of switching treatment to faricimab in recalcitrant neovascular age related macular degeneration

Aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of switching treatment to faricimab in neovascular age-related macular degeneration (nAMD) from other anti-VEGF agents. Fifty-eight eyes of fifty-one patients with nAMD and a full upload series of four faricimab injections were included. Demographic data, multimodal imaging and treatment parameters were recorded. The primary outcome measures were changes in central subfield thickness (CST) and subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT). A subgroup analysis was performed for eyes with prior ranibizumab (R) or aflibercept (A) treatment. Mean injection intervals before and after switching were comparable (33.8 ± 11.2 vs. 29.3 ± 2.6 days; p = 0.08). Mean CST of 361.4 ± 108.1 µm prior to switching decreased significantly to 318.3 ± 97.7 µm (p < 0.01) after the third faricimab injection, regardless of prior anti-VEGF treatment (p < 0.01). Although SFCT slightly improved for the whole cohort from 165.8 ± 76.8 µm to 161.0 ± 82,8 µm (p = 0.029), subgroup analysis did not confirm this positive effect (subgroup R: p = 0.604; subgroup A: p = 0.306). In patients with a suboptimal response to aflibercept or ranibizumab in nAMD, farcimab can improve CST and slightly improve or maintain SFCT. Further prospective randomized trials are warranted.

Effect of spectacle lenses with aspherical lenslets on choroidal thickness in myopic children: a 3-year follow-up study

BackgroundTo investigate the impact of wearing spectacle lenses with highly aspherical lenslets (HAL) for 3 years and the impact of switching from single-vision lenses (SVL) to HAL on choroidal thickness (ChT).MethodsFifty-one participants who had already worn HAL for 2 years continued wearing them for an additional year (HAL group). Further, 50 and 41 participants who had worn spectacle lenses with slightly aspherical lenslets (SAL) and SVL for 2 years, respectively, switched to wearing HAL for another year (SAL-HAL and SVL-HAL groups). Additionally, 48 new participants aged 10–15 years were enrolled to wear SVL at the third year (new-SVL group). ChT was measured every 6 months throughout the study.ResultsSignificant differences were observed in the changes in ChT among the four groups at the third year (all P < 0.05 except for the outer nasal region: P = 0.09), with the new-SVL group showing larger reductions compared with the other three groups. However, none of the three HAL-wearing groups showed significant changes in ChT at the third year (all P > 0.05). When comparing the changes in ChT for 3 years among the HAL, SAL-HAL, and SVL-HAL groups, significant differences were found before switching to HAL, but these differences were abolished after all participants switched to HAL.ConclusionsCompared to those in the SVL group, choroid thinning was significantly inhibited in all the HAL groups. Wearing HAL for 3 years no longer had a choroidal thickening effect but could still inhibit choroidal thinning compared to wearing SVL.Trial registrationThe study was registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR1800017683), http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=29789.

Evaluation of retinal and choroidal thickness changes in overweight and obese adults without ocular symptoms by swept-source optical coherence tomography.

To evaluate the relationship of overweight and obesity with retinal and choroidal thickness in adults without ocular symptoms by swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT). According to the body mass index (BMI) results, the adults enrolled in the cross-sectional study were divided into the normal group (18.50≤BMI<25.00 kg/m2), the overweight group (25.00≤BMI<30.00 kg/m2), and the obesity group (BMI≥30.00 kg/m2). The one-way ANOVA and the Chi-square test were used for comparisons. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between the measured variables. This research covered the left eyes of 3 groups of 434 age- and sex-matched subjects each: normal, overweight, and obesity. The mean BMI was 22.20±1.67, 26.82±1.38, and 32.21±2.35 kg/m2 in normal, overweight and obesity groups, respectively. The choroid was significantly thinner in both the overweight and obesity groups compared to the normal group (P<0.05 for all), while the retinal thickness of the three groups did not differ significantly. Pearson's correlation analysis showed that BMI was significantly negatively correlated with choroidal thickness, but no significant correlation was observed between BMI and retinal thickness. Choroidal thickness is decreased in people with overweight or obesity. Research on changes in choroidal thickness contributes to the understanding of the mechanisms of certain ocular disorders in overweight and obese adults.

Understanding the relationship between pachychoroid spectrum disorders and retinitis pigmentosa: A review of the evidence.

This study aims to investigate the relationship between pachychoroid spectrum disorders and retinitis pigmentosa (RP) or rod-cone dystrophy through a comprehensive literature review. The purpose is to explore the association between these disorders, understand their underlying mechanisms, and summarize the existing hypotheses and opinions. A thorough review of the literature was conducted using PubMed, focusing on articles related to central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC), RP, pachychoroid pigment epitheliopathy, pachychoroid neovasculopathy, polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, focal choroidal excavation, peripapillary pachychoroid neovasculopathy, and peripheral exudative hemorrhagic chorioretinopathy. Relevant studies were selected for a detailed narrative review and analysis. Several studies have reported the coexistence of CSC and RP, indicating a potential association between the two conditions. The dysfunction of the retinal pigment epithelium is proposed as a common factor. Choroidal thinning is observed in RP, but conflicting results exist regarding choroidal thickness (CT). While some studies support choroidal thinning in RP, others suggest preserved or increased thickness. Additionally, cases of pachychoroid neovasculopathy and polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy in RP have been reported, suggesting an overlap between these conditions. The literature suggests conflicting reports on CT changes in RP. Future research should focus on large-scale studies using comprehensive imaging techniques, genetic analysis, and long-term follow-up to uncover the underlying mechanisms and determine the prevalence of pachychoroid spectrum disorders in RP patients.

Short-Term Myopic Defocus and Choroidal Thickness in Children and Adults.

Studies report conflicting findings regarding choroidal thickness changes in response to myopic defocus in humans. This study aimed to investigate the choroidal response to myopic defocus in children and adults using automated analysis. Participants (N = 46) were distance-corrected in both eyes and viewed a movie on a screen for 10 minutes. Two optical coherence tomography (OCT) radial scans were collected for each eye, then +3 diopters was added to one eye. Participants continued to watch the movie, OCT scans were repeated every 10minutes for 50minutes, and then recovery was assessed at 60 and 70minutes. Defocus was interrupted for approximately two out of each 10minutes for OCT imaging. OCT images were analyzed using an automated algorithm and trained neural network implemented in MATLAB to determine choroidal thickness at each time point. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to assess changes with time in three age groups (6-17, 18-30, and 31-45 years) and by refractive error group (myopic and nonmyopic). Choroidal thickness was significantly associated with spherical equivalent refraction, with the myopic group having a thinner choroid than the nonmyopic group (P<0.001). With imposed myopic defocus, there were no significant changes in choroidal thickness at any time point for any age group and for either refractive error group (P>0.05 for all). Findings demonstrate that, using the described protocol, the choroidal thickness of children and adults does not significantly change in response to short-term, full-field myopic defocus, in contrast to several previously published studies.

Inter-Individual Topographic Variation of Choroidal Thickness in Healthy Eyes on Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography.

To investigate the topographic characters of inter-individual variations of the macular choroidal thickness (CT). This was a retrospective study. Macular CT data for 900 0.2 × 0.2-mm grids from 410 healthy eyes were collected from swept-source optical coherence tomography. Following the analysis of factors associated with mean CT, the β-coefficients of the included associated factors in each grid were summarized for choroidal thickness changes analysis. Additionally, the coefficient of variance (CoV), coefficient of determination (CoD), and coefficient of variance unexplained (CoVU) for CT were calculated in each individual grid to investigate the inter-individual choroidal variations pattern. Sex (β = -17.26, female vs. male), age (β = -1.61, per 1year), and axial length (β = -18.62, per 1mm) were associated with mean macular CT. Females had a thinner choroid in all 900 grids (0.5-26.9µm). As age increased, the CT noticeably decreased (8.74-19.87µm per 10years) in the temporal regions. With axial length elongation, the thinning (7.94-24.91µm per 1mm) was more evident in subfoveal and nasal regions. Both the CoV (34.69%-58.00%) and CoVU (23.05%-40.78%) were lower in the temporal regions, whereas the CoD (18.41%-39.66%) was higher in the temporal regions. Choroidal thinning is more predominant in the subfoveal and nasal regions with axial length elongation, but in the temporal region with aging. The inter-individual variation of CT is higher and less determined by sex, age, or axial length in the nasal regions. Topographic variation should be considered when interpreting choroidal thickness.

Peripapillary atrophy area predicts the decrease of macular choroidal thickness in young adults during myopia progression

ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the influence of peripapillary atrophy (PPA) area and axial elongation on the longitudinal changes in macular choroidal thickness (ChT) in young individuals with myopia.Methods and...

Choroidal Thickness and brolucizumab intravitreal injection: Cause or effect of intraocular inflammation?

Purposeto analyze the structural changes of choroidal thickness in patients with brolucizumab-related exudative vitritis after intravitreal injection, using EDI-OCT. MethodsOne hundred eyes of one hundred patients, affected by exudative age related-macular degeneration treated with brolucizumab intravitreal injection between January 2022 and august 2023 at Eye clinic of University of Federico II Naples, were enrolled. All eyes underwent macular examination using Enhanced Deep Imaging-OCT (Spectralis, Heidelberg Engineering inc.) preoperatively and at each postoperative check (1, 3, 6, 12 months). Anterior segment evaluation at slit lamp before and after injection was performed. ResultsOf the 100 treated eyes, 4 showed inflammatory signs related to exudative vitreitis, with inflammation signs at slit lamp examination and confirmed by OCT and B scan ecography. EDI-OCT revealed, in all of these 4 patients, a significant increase of choroidal thickness compared to baseline. Conclusionchoroidal thickness could be correlated in the inflammatory response generated in patients undergoing treatment with brolucizumab.

Longitudinal Changes in Choroidal Thickness Varied With Refractive Progression in Myopic and Non-Myopic Children: A Two-Year Cohort Study.

To evaluate the longitudinal changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) in children with different refractive status. A total of 2290 children 3 to 14years old who attended the first year of kindergarten (G0), first year of primary school (G1), fourth year of primary school (G4), or first year of junior high school (G7) in Guangzhou, China, were recruited and followed up for 2years. All participants received cycloplegic autorefraction, axial length measurement and SFCT measurement using a CIRRUS HD-OCT device. Children were divided into groups of persistent non-myopia (PNM), persistent myopia (PM), or newly developed myopia (NDM). Children in the PNM and PM groups were further divided into subgroups of stable refraction (absolute mean annual spherical equivalent refraction [SER] change < 0.5D) and refractive progression (absolute mean annual SER change ≥ 0.5D). The mean ± SD ages for the G1 to G7 cohorts were 3.89 ± 0.30, 6.79 ± 0.47, 9.71 ± 0.34, and 12.54 ± 0.38, years, respectively. SFCT consistently decreased in the NDM group across the G1 to G7 cohorts (all P<0.001) and exhibited variability across different age cohorts in the PNM and PM groups. Further subgroup analysis revealed significant thickening of SFCT in the PNM-stable group among the G0, G1, and G7 cohorts (all P<0.05), whereas it remained stable among all cohorts in the PM-stable group (all P>0.05). Conversely, SFCT exhibited thinning in the G4 and G7 cohorts in the PM-progressive group (both P<0.01) and for the entire cohort of children in the PNM-progressive group (P=0.012). SFCT increased in nonmyopic children with stable refraction, remained stable in myopic children maintained stable refraction, and decreased in those with refractive progression, whether they were myopic or not.

Investigation of alterations in retrobulbar hemodynamics and their correlation with choroidal thickness after strabismus surgery.

To evaluate the changes in retrobulbar circulation after strabismus surgery and to assess the relationship of these changes with choroidal thickness (CT). This prospective study included 26 eyes of 26 patients who underwent strabismus surgery and 15 eyes of 15 healthy individuals as control group. The patients who had single horizontal muscle surgery were included in Group 1 (n = 14); and those who had surgery on both horizontal muscles were included in Group 2 (n = 12). Peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV), resistive index (RI) and pulsatility index (PI) of ophthalmic artery (OA), posterior ciliary artery (PCA), and central retinal artery (CRA) were measured using Color Doppler Ultrasonography. Subfoveal CT was measured via Optical Coherence Tomography. All measurements were obtained preoperatively, at 1st week and 1st month after surgery. There were no differences regarding preoperative blood flow velocity parameters among the groups. OA RI increased significantly at 1st week and 1st month after surgery in Group 1 and 2 (P = 0.029 and P = 0.045, respectively). There was a significant increase in PCA PSV at 1st week in Group 1 (P = 0.002). There was no difference between the mean preoperative and postoperative CT among the 3 groups. A negative correlation between the percentage changes of CT and CRA EDV was found in Group 2 (P = 0.011). Single and double horizontal rectus muscle surgery have a measurable effect on retrobulbar hemodynamics but these changes do not correlate with CT.

Impact of multifocal gas-permeable lens designs on short-term choroidal response, axial length, and retinal defocus profile.

To investigate the impact of multifocal gas permeable contact lens (MFGPCL) in various add power and distance/near area allocation on short-term changes of choroidal thickness (ChT), axial length (AL), and retinal defocus profile in young adults. Seventeen young adults (2 males and 15 females; age 23.17±4.48y) were randomly assigned to wear two designs binocularly with a one-week washout period in between. Total of four MFGPCL designs were assessed. All designs were distance-center that varied in two add power (+1.50 and 3.00 D) and/or two distance zone (DZ) diameters (1.50 and 3.00 mm; design A: DZ 1.5/add 3.0, B: DZ 1.5/add 1.5, C: DZ 3.0/add 3.0, D: DZ 3.0/add 1.5). ChT, AL, and peripheral refraction data were collected on each subject at baseline, on days 1 and 7 of MFGPCL daily wear. ChT was assessed in four quadrants using a spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. AL was shortened by -26±44 µm with lens C, -18±27 µm with lens D, -13±29 µm with lens A, and -8±30 µm with lens B (all P<0.05). A significant overall increase in ChT was observed with all 4 designs (lens A: +6±6 µm, B: +3±7 µm, C: +8±7 µm, and D: +8±7 µm). Temporal and superior choroid exhibited more choroidal thickening associated with MFGPCL. All designs induced significant relative peripheral myopia (RPM) beyond the central 20° across the horizontal meridian in both nasal and temporal fields (P<0.05). MFGPCLs show a significant influence on ChT and AL, which are associated with significant increase in RPM after short-term wear. The reliability and feasibility of quantifying short-term changes in ChT support its use as a promising marker for the long-term efficacy of myopia-controlling treatments.

LONGITUDINAL CHANGES IN CHOROIDAL THICKNESS IN CHILDREN WITH A HISTORY OF PREMATURITY: An 18-Month Prospective Cohort Study.

To evaluate choroidal changes over time in school-age children with a history of prematurity. A study of 416 eyes of 208 eligible participants, including 88, 190, 36, 56, and 46 eyes in the full-term control, preterm, spontaneously regressed retinopathy of prematurity, intravitreal bevacizumab (injection of bevacizumab)-treated retinopathy of prematurity, and laser-treated retinopathy of prematurity groups, respectively, were enrolled in this study. The choroidal thickness was measured 4 times at 6-month intervals using optical coherence tomography. Of all the groups, the laser-treated children had the thinnest choroid compared with full-term children (-52.3 µ m, P = 0.04). Preterm children exhibited greater attenuation in choroidal thickness over time than did full-term children (-6.3 ± 26.9 and -1.1 ± 12.8 µ m/year, P = 0.03), whereas no difference was observed between injection of bevacizumab and laser treatments (-4.6 ± 18.9 and -2.0 ± 15.7 µ m/year, P = 0.46). In all groups, the changes in axial length were negatively associated with the changes in choroidal thickness (all P < 0.05). A greater attenuation in choroid thickness over time was observed in preterm children than in full-term children, but this attenuation did not differ between injection of bevacizumab and laser treatments. Axial elongation was associated with choroidal thinning in school-age children.

Impaired brachial flow-mediated dilation may predict choroidal and retinal nerve fibre layer thickness changes in people with obesity

ABSTRACT Clinical relevance Choroidal thickness and peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) changes are known to occur in obesity. Endothelial dysfunction and systemic atherosclerosis may play a role in the pathophysiology of these differences. Background Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is reduced in patients with endothelial dysfunction, and the ankle-brachial index is a surrogate marker for atherosclerosis. This study was conducted to examine the relationship between systemic vascular parameters (FMD, and ankle-brachial index), subfoveal choroidal thickness, and peripapillary RNFL thickness in obese individuals. Methods This observational, cross-sectional study involved 108 total participants who were divided into two groups. One group consisted of 54 obese subjects who each had a body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or more. The other control group contained 54 participants who each had a body mass index of 25 kg/m2 or less but higher than 20 kg/m2 . For each participant, only one eye was examined in this study. Subfoveal choroidal thickness, RNFL thickness, ankle-brachial index, and ultrasound measurement of the brachial artery FMD were performed. FMD was categorised according to receiver operating characteristic analysis, and endothelial dysfunction was defined as an FMD ≤ 7.29%. Results Subfoveal choroidal and RNFL thicknesses in the temporal quadrant were significantly lower in the obese group (p < 0.05). Lower mean values of subfoveal choroidal and RNFL thicknesses in the temporal and inferior quadrants were observed in subjects with an FMD ≤ 7.29% (p < 0.05). In people with obesity, FMD was positively correlated with subfoveal choroidal thickness (r = 0.322, p = 0.001), inferior RNFL thickness (r = 0.259, p = 0.007), and temporal RNFL thickness (r = 0.297, p = 0.002). However, the ankle-brachial index was not correlated with obesity. Conclusions Impaired FMD was associated with reduced subfoveal choroidal and RNFL thicknesses in the temporal and inferior quadrants of people with obesity.

OCT Biomarkers Predicting Recurrence of Macular Edema Secondary to Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

Purpose: We evaluated factors predicting the recurrence of macular edema in patients with branch retinal vein occlusion using optical coherence tomography (OCT).Methods: This study enrolled 55 patients diagnosed with branch retinal vein occlusion who presented to the outpatient clinic between March 2022 and March 2023. A retrospective analysis categorized patients into non-recurrence and recurrence groups. Data on visual acuity, spherical equivalent, intraocular pressure, number of injections, and follow-up duration were collected from medical records. OCT images were obtained before and 6 months after intravitreal injection to measure and analyze central retinal thickness, subfoveal choroidal thickness, and disorganization of retinal inner layers.Results: No statistically significant difference was observed in the central retinal thickness change before and after treatment between the groups. Although no significant differences were observed in visual acuity between the two groups before treatment, significant improvement in visual acuity was observed in the non-recurrence group after 6 months of treatment. The non-recurrence group was younger compared to the recurrence group; moreover, the intraocular pressure in non-recurrence patients decreased significantly during the 6-month treatment period. In addition, a decrease in subfoveal choroidal thickness before and after treatment, the difference in subfoveal choroidal thickness between the affected eye and the fellow eye before treatment, and the reduction in disorganization of retinal inner layers before and after treatment were associated with a favorable prognosis without recurrence.Conclusions: Changes in subfoveal choroidal thickness before and after treatment, variations in subfoveal choroidal thickness between the affected and fellow eyes before treatment, and the degree of disorganization of retinal inner layers exhibited significant associations with the recurrence of macular edema. This is significant because it allows for predictions based on baseline OCT images.

Choroidal thickness as a biomarker for axial length change

Aims/Purpose: Assessing axial eye growth is a key component in myopia management; however, access to biometry is limited in primary eye care settings. This study evaluated choroidal thickness, compared to spherical equivalent refraction, as a potential biomarker of axial elongation.Methods: The Myopia Outcome Study of Atropine in Children (MOSAIC) is a double‐blind, randomized controlled trial of 0.01% atropine eye drops. Irish myopic participants aged 6–16 years used either 0.01% atropine or placebo eye drops nightly for 2 years. Spherical equivalent refraction (SER) was measured by cycloplegic autorefraction, axial length (AL) by partial coherence interferometry and choroidal thickness (ChT) by Swept Source‐OCT. The respective 12‐month changes in both eyes were included in mixed linear regression analysis, while controlling for treatment group and within‐subject correlation. ROC analysis was conducted to assess the ability of ChT and/or SER to identify eyes in the top 25% (fast progressors) of AL change.Results: Of the 250 participants enrolled in MOSAIC (mean age 11.8 years, 62% female), 217 (87%) completed the 12‐month visit. Mean 12‐month change in AL, ChT and SER were 0.268 ± 0.19 mm, −3.62 ± 33.3 um and −0.437 ± 0.346 DS respectively. Analysis revealed a significant association between change in ChT and AL (−0.01 ± 0.002 mm per 10 μm; p &lt; 0.001) and change in SER and AL (−0.28 ± 0.02 mm per 1D; p &lt; 0.001). When both SER and ChT were combined in a single model, a 1D myopic change in SER and a 10um decrease in ChT were associated with a 0.27 mm (p &lt; 0.001) and 0.007 mm increase in AL (p = 0.002), respectively. ROC analysis revealed that change in ChT was a stronger predictor of fast AL progression (AUC = 0.77) compared to SER change (AUC = 0.72), with the combined model performing better than either variable alone (AUC = 0.80).Conclusions: ChT change was significantly associated with AL change over 12 months and better than SER alone at identifying fast AL progressors, with a combined SER and ChT model achieving the best results.

Inhibiting myopia development by the digital chromatic filters

We had previously found that simulated chromatic defocus, imposed by spatially filtering the RGB channels of the computer screen, induces significant changes in choroidal thickness already after 45 min (Swiatczak and Schaeffel, 2022). In emmetropes, the “red in focus” filter, which blurs the image in the blue channel and simulates myopic chromatic defocus, induced thickening of the choroid and eye shortening, while the “blue in focus” filter, which blurs the image in the red channel and simulates hyperopic chromatic defocus, induced thinning of the choroid and eye elongation. Strikingly, eyes that were already myopic were not responsive to these filters, suggesting that (1) they may no longer detect longitudinal chromatic aberration (LCA), (2) the imposed signal was too weak to induce significant changes in choroidal thickness, or (3) the signal was detected by the retina, but it was not transmitted to the choroidal tissue. To gain a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms and their roles in emmetropization, we measured in emmetropic and myopic subjects (1) the long‐term effect of repetitive exposure to the “red in focus” filter over 12 days of treatment, followed by 2 days of recovery, (2) the accommodation responses to visual targets with simulated myopic and hyperopic LCA, and (3) visual acuity and contrast sensitivity in red and blue light.Our results showed that as previously found for choroidal changes, simulated hyperopic or myopic LCA also affected accommodation. The “blue in focus” filter induced more accommodation than the “red in focus” filter (difference in emmetropes: 0.13D, p &lt; 0.05). Strikingly, accommodation in myopic eyes was not responsive to simulated LCA. Moreover, visual acuity was severely reduced when subjects were looking through a short‐pass blue filter (cut‐off at 490 nm) compared to visual acuity in red light (long‐pass red filter, cut‐off at 610 nm) which was observed in both emmetropic and myopic subjects. Furthermore, emmetropes displayed higher contrast sensitivity in red than in blue light, but this difference was not found in myopes.Our findings confirm that there is a difference in retinal processing between emmetropes and myopes which includes lower sensitivity to LCA in myopes. Furthermore, we showed that these differences show up in both, changes in choroidal thickness as well as accommodation.

Changes in retinal and choroidal thickness and vascular density in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: Assessed by optical coherence tomography angiography.

The aim was to investigate the changes in retinal and choroidal thickness and vascular density in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Twenty-nine patients with SLE (29 eyes) and 25 control subjects (25 eyes) were enrolled. SLE activity was assessed using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI). Retinal thickness (RT), inner retinal thickness (IRT), outer retinal thickness (ORT), choroidal thickness (ChT), retinal superficial vascular density (SVD), retinal deep vascular density (DVD), choriocapillary vascular density (CCVD), foveal avascular zone (FAZ), superficial FAZ (sFAZ), and deep FAZ (dFAZ) were measured using OCTA. The retinal and choroidal thickness and vascular density between the control group and SLE group were compared. The relationships between SLEDAI scores and the retinal and choroidal thickness and vascular density in SLE group were analyzed. The SVD was significantly increased, and the DVD and CCVD were significantly decreased in the SLE group compared to the control group (p < .05). The results of receiver operating characteristic (ROC) showed that the area under the curve (AUC) values of SVD, DVD, and CCVD were 0.873, 0.729, and 0.727, indicating a high accuracy in discriminating patients with SLE from controls. Correlation analysis showed that the SLEDAI scores were positively correlated with dFAZ (r = 0.589, p = .001) and FAZ (r = 0.451, p = .018), and negatively correlated with DVD (r = -0.491, p = .009) and CCVD (r = -0.521, p = .005). DVD and CCVD were decreased in the SLE and might be related to the disease activity. SVD, DVD, and CCVD may hold promise in the discovery of biomarkers for diagnosing SLE.

Analysis of macula structural changes in Moyamoya disease using AI-assisted OCT

ObjectiveTo investigate macula structure thickness and volume changes in patients with moyamoya disease (MMD). MethodIn this cross-sectional study, we used artificial intelligence (AI) -assisted optical coherence tomography (OCT) to analyze the thickness and volume of macula in Moyamoya patients. ETDRS zoning divides the macula into nine different regions. In 15 patients with radial scanning OCT, the average thickness and volume of retina, RNFL, GCL, and choroid in these regions were measured. In 30 patients with radial or horizontal scanning OCT, based on the anatomical structure, the macula is divided into seven segments. Mean Sattler layer–choriocapillaris complex thickness (SLCCT), Haller layer thickness, and total choroidal thickness were measured for each segment using AI-assisted OCT. ResultsWe recruited 30 patients (59 eyes) with MMD. In the 15 patients (29 eyes) who underwent radial scanning OCT, no significant change in retina, RNFL, GCL, and choroidal thickness was identified between the two groups (p > 0.05). There was no significant change in retina, RNFL, or choroidal volume between the two groups in different ETDRS macula regions (p > 0.05). The GCL volume in the macula's inner ring nasal portion (IN) was significantly lower. SLCCTs were considerably reduced in six macula regions in moyamoya groups (p < 0.05). There was no statistically significant change in Haller layer thickness. Only the nasal perifovea (PE_N) exhibited a significant variation in choroidal thickness. The Moyamoya group showed reduced choroidal thickness in PE_N segment. ConclusionIn patients with MMD, there is thinning of the Sattler layer–choriocapillaris complex in the choroid.