Delta Journal of Ophthalmology (Jan 2017)

Spectral domain optical coherence tomography measurements in amblyopic Egyptian patients

  • Mohammad A.M El-Hifnawy,
  • Amr F Abo-Elkheir,
  • Amir A Abo-Samra,
  • Karim A Mohamed

DOI
https://doi.org/10.4103/1110-9173.201622
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 18, no. 1
pp. 26 – 31

Abstract

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Purpose The aim of this study was to compare the macular thickness and each retinal layer thickness of the amblyopic eyes with their normal fellow eyes in patients with unilateral amblyopia using the Spectralis spectral domain optical coherence tomography new segmentation software. Patients and methods A total of 20 patients with unilateral amblyopia were enrolled in this study. Seventeen patients (85%) had anisometropic amblyopia, and three (15%) had combined amblyopia (strabismic and anisometropic). Best-corrected visual acuity was measured and converted to the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR). Patients underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination, including Spectralis spectral domain optical coherence tomography scanning. The mean of each of the three macular thickness map circles and the mean thickness of each of the retinal layers at the fovea and at 1000 μm circle and the 2500 μm circle were automatically extracted using Spectralis new segmentation software. Results There was a statistically significant increase in the macular thickness at the central subfield region of the early treatment diabetic retinopathy study (ETDRS) map in the amblyopic eyes (288.65±22.61 μm) compared with the fellow normal eyes (281.1±22.6 μm). In addition, there was a statistically significant increase in the outer nuclear layer thickness at the fovea of the amblyopic eyes (114.7±13.93 μm) compared with the fellow normal eyes (104.4±15.63 μm). There was also a statistically significant increase in the thickness of the retinal nerve fiber layer at the outer circle of the amblyopic eyes (33.03±3.816 μm) compared with the fellow normal eyes (30.76±3.75 μm). However, there was a statistically significant decrease in the thickness of the ganglion cell layer at the outer circle in the amblyopic eyes (36.38±5.27 μm) compared with the fellow normal eyes (39.09±6.19 μm). Conclusion The increase in the thickness of the central subfield region in the macular thickness map and the outer nuclear layer at the fovea implies that the photoreceptors may be affected by amblyopia.

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