In vivo detection of perineural circular arterial anastomosis (circle of Zinn-Haller) in a patient with large peripapillary chorioretinal atrophy.

PURPOSE: In vivo visualization of perineural circular arterial anastomosis (circle of Zinn-Haller) has been considered impossible because of the arterial circle's location in the sclera. We investigated whether the circle of Zinn-Haller could be detected in a glaucoma patient who had a large area of temporal peripapillary chorioretinal atrophy.

METHODS

We performed both scanning laser Doppler flowmetry and indocyanine green angiography with a scanning laser ophthalmoscope in the same patient.

RESULTS

In the area of peripapillary atrophy, a circumferential vascular loop consistent with a portion of the circle of Zinn-Haller could be detected by the two imaging methods.

CONCLUSION

The circle of Zinn-Haller can be visualized in vivo because of the peripapillary atrophy.