Vision (Jun 2022)

Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography to Estimate Early Retinal Blood Flow Changes after Uncomplicated Cataract Surgery

  • Antonio Baldascino,
  • Matteo Ripa,
  • Matteo Mario Carlà,
  • Tomaso Caporossi,
  • Giulia Grieco,
  • Gloria Gambini,
  • Umberto De Vico,
  • Giuseppe Raguso,
  • Raphael Kilian,
  • Clara Rizzo,
  • Stanislao Rizzo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/vision6030038
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 6, no. 3
p. 38

Abstract

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Background: To investigate macular microvascular changes after uncomplicated phacoemulsification surgery according to the cataract severity grade. Methods: Retrospective, cross-sectional study involving 23 eyes of 23 patients who underwent elective cataract extraction. All patients underwent routine ophthalmologic examination, including optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) at baseline (preoperative visit, T0) and seven days postoperatively (T7). OCTA scans were obtained with the spectral domain system Cirrus 5000 (Carl Zeiss Meditec, Inc., Dublin, CA, USA), and 3 mm × 3 mm raster fovea-centered scans were obtained to evaluate the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) vessel density, perfusion density, and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) parameters. Results: SCP perfusion density significantly increased from 28.3 ± 5.73% to 33.74 ± 4.13% after the surgery (p −1 to 18.14 ± 2.57 mm−1 after surgery (p p = 0.008). When comparing softer and harder cataracts, no significant variations in SCP vessel density, as well as SCP perfusion density parameters and the FAZ area, perimeter, and circularity index, were noted before and after surgery. Conclusions: Macular SPC vessel density and macular SCP perfusion density increase after uncomplicated cataract surgery regardless of the cataract severity.

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