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Vessel density, retinal thickness, and choriocapillaris vascular flow in myopic eyes on OCT angiography

  • Retinal Disorders
  • Published:
Graefe's Archive for Clinical and Experimental Ophthalmology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate foveal avascular zone area, macular vascular density, choroidal thickness, and outer retina and choriocapillaris flow in myopic eyes by OCT angiography.

Methods

Automated macular maps and flow calculations were retrospectively evaluated in 42 myopic and in 40 control eyes.

Results

Myopic eyes presented lower whole superficial vessel density (46.4 ± 4.9 vs. 51.6 ± 3.6%, P < 0.0001) and higher flow area in the outer retina (1.3 ± 0.2 vs. 1.1 ± 0.3 mm2, P = 0.0012). Between the myopic and non-myopic eyes, no significant differences could be detected in the choriocapillaris perfusion area (1.9 ± 0.07 vs. 1.9 ± 0.05 mm2, respectively; P = 0.55) and in the foveal avascular zone area (0.23 ± 0.1 vs. 0.26 ± 0.1 mm2, respectively; P = 0.12). The spherical correction positively correlated with superficial vessel density and negatively correlated with outer retina perfusion (P ≤ 0.0021). The superficial vessel density and the local retinal thickness positively correlated at all macular locations (P < 0.005), especially in the foveal region (P < 0.0001).

Conclusions

Eyes with high myopia present reduced superficial vascular density and increased outer retina flow. Superficial vascular density and retinal thickness appear to be significantly correlated.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Istituto Auxologico Italiano and Retina 3000 Eye Center, Milan, Italy

    Paolo Milani

  2. University of Milan-ASST Santi Paolo e Carlo, Milan, Italy

    Giovanni Montesano & Luca Rossetti

  3. City, University of London, Optometry and Visual Sciences, London, UK

    Giovanni Montesano

  4. Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy

    Fulvio Bergamini

  5. Melegnano Hospital and Retina 3000 Eye Center, Milan, Italy

    Alfredo Pece

Authors
  1. Paolo Milani
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  2. Giovanni Montesano
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  3. Luca Rossetti
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  4. Fulvio Bergamini
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  5. Alfredo Pece
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paolo Milani.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Milani, P., Montesano, G., Rossetti, L. et al. Vessel density, retinal thickness, and choriocapillaris vascular flow in myopic eyes on OCT angiography. Graefes Arch Clin Exp Ophthalmol 256, 1419–1427 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-018-4012-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00417-018-4012-y

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