Comparison of microvasculature between neovascular, non-neovascular chronic central serous chorioretinopathy cases and asymptomatic fellow eyes using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography.

PURPOSE: To compare microvasculature changes between neovascular, non-neovascular chronic central serous chorioretinopathy cases (cCSCR) and asymptomatic fellow eyes using swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA).

METHODS

Medical records of 70 treatment-naïve patients with chronic central serous chorioretinopathy (cCSCR) who had undergone spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and SS-OCTA were reviewed. Among 132 eyes, 81 were diagnosed with cCSCR, 51 eyes were included as asymptomatic fellow eyes. Eyes diagnosed with cCSCR were divided into two groups based on the presence of choroidal neovascularization (CNV) in outer retinal slab on OCTA. There were 3 groups: CNV (+), CNV (-) cCSCR and asymptomatic fellow eyes. Vessel density (VD) in macular region was measured in automatically segmented superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP) and choriocapillaris (CC) slabs and compared between these 3 groups.

RESULTS

Mean age of cCSCR patients was 55,83 ± 8,55 years. In 81 eyes diagnosed with cCSCR, 27 eyes were CNV (+) and 54 eyes were CNV (-) on OCTA. Patients with CNV (+) on OCTA were significantly older than CNV (-) patients (p < 0.05). CNV (+) patients' best- corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was significantly lower than CNV (-) patients (p < 0.01). Subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) of CNV (+) eyes was significantly lower than CNV (-) eyes (p < 0.01). Foveal SCP VD and CC VD of CNV (+) and CNV (-) eyes were significantly lower than asymptomatic fellow eyes (p < 0.05). Foveal DCP VD of CNV (+) and CNV (-) eyes was significantly higher than asymptomatic fellow eyes (p < 0.05). Foveal, parafoveal superior and temporal CC VD of CNV (+) eyes was significantly lower than CNV (-) eyes (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Retinal and choroidal microcirculation difference between neovascular and non-neovascular cCSCR eyes may be an indicator of ischemia, therefore a contributing factor in neovascularization development.