Vasculature–function relationship in open-angle glaucomatous eyes with a choroidal microvasculature dropout

Abstract

Identifying biomarkers associated with functional impairment is important in monitoring glaucoma patients. This retrospective cross-sectional study investigated the vasculature–function relationship in open-angle glaucoma (OAG) eyes with choroidal microvasculature dropout (CMvD) versus in OAG eyes without. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) angiography-derived circumpapillary (cpVD) and macular vessel densities (mVD) were measured in 159 early-stage OAG eyes (mean deviation >  −6 dB) in accordance with the presence or not of a CMvD. OCT-derived circumpapillary retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (cpRNFLT) and macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer thicknesses (mGCIPLT) were also measured as reference standards. The vasculature (cpVD and mVD)–function [24-2 visual field mean sensitivity (VFMS) and central 10° VFMS (cVFMS)] and structure (cpRNFLT and mGCIPLT)–function (24-2 VFMS and cVFMS) relationships were compared using global and sectoral maps between OAG eyes with (CMvD+) and without CMvD (CMvD−). The CMvD+ eyes showed significantly steeper cpVD-24-2 VFMS and mVD-cVFMS correlations (P < 0.05). In contrast, there were no significant differences in the cpRNFLT-24-2 VFMS and mGCIPLT-cVFMS relationships between the two groups (P > 0.05). In conclusion, OAG eyes with a CMvD have significantly stronger vasculature–function relationships than eyes without. Vessel density parameters may be useful biomarkers of disease progression in early-stage OAG patients with a CMvD.