Retinal perfusion related to visual field within the same asymmetric thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy

Abstract

Purpose: To quantify interocular differences in the retinal microvasculature between disparate eyes and explore associations between the retinal microvasculature and visual field abnormalities within the same asymmetric thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) patients. Methods: Within the same asymmetric TAO eye, the eye with a severer visual field abnormality (based on the mean deviation [MD]) was considered a severe eye, and the fellow eye was considered mild. The densities of radial peripapillary capillary (RPC) and superficial retinal capillary plexuses (SRCP) were determined using optical coherence tomography angiography. Interocular differences in RPC and SRCP densities were analyzed. A generalized estimating equation (GEE) was used to form a predictive model for visual field abnormalities. Pearson's correlation was used to show the correlation between MD and the densities of RPC and SRCP. Results: In 57 asymmetric TAO patients, the global RPC density in severe eyes was lower than that in mild eyes (P 0.05). Conclusions: RPC density decreased significantly and correlated with visual field abnormalities in severe eyes of TAO patients. Alterations in RPC density may contribute to visual field abnormalities in TAO eyes.

Keywords

• Retinal microvascular density
• Visual field
• Asymmetry
• Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy
• Optical coherence tomography angiography