ObjectiveTo observe alterations of macular outer retinal reflectivity (ORR) and the associations with macular vessel density in patients with nonproliferative diabetic retinopathy (NPDR). Methods A retrospective cross-sectional study. From August 2021 to March 2022, a total of 63 NPDR patients with 63 eyes (NPDR group) diagnosed by Department of Ophthalmology of Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital were included in the study. There were 39 males with 39 eyes and 24 females with 24 eyes. Age was 60 (52, 68) years. A total of 66 eyes of 66 healthy volunteers matching age and sex were selected as the control group. Among them, 40 men had 40 eyes and 26 women had 26 eyes. Age was 58 (52, 67) years. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) were performed in all affected eyes. Image J software was used to calculate ORR, including the optical density of ellipsoid zone (EZ), photoreceptor outer segment (OS), photoreceptor inner segment (IS) and outer nuclear layer (ONL) by OCT examination. The sampling sites were horizontal and vertical scanning of the fovea of the macula on 500 μm (nasal500, temporal500, superior500, inferior500), 1 000 μm (nasal1 000, temporal1 000, superior1 000, inferior1 000) and 2 000 μm (nasal2 000, temporal2 000, superior2 000, inferior2 000). The software automatically divided the retina within 6 mm of the macular fovea into the fovea with a diameter of 1 mm, the parafovea with a diameter of 1-3 mm, and the perifovea with a diameter of 3-6 mm by macular OCTA examination. The blood density of superficial capillary plexus and deep capillary plexus in different zones in the macular area were measured by the built-in software of the device. Spearman correlation analysis was used to analyze the correlation between ORR and blood flow density. ResultsCompared with the control group, retinal reflectivity of EZ in NPDR group was significantly decreased at other sites except the fovea, retinal reflectivity of OS was significantly decreased at nasal2 000, temporal2 000, superior2 000 and superior1 000; retinal reflectivity of IS was significantly decreased at superior1 000, superior500 and inferior500. The retinal reflectivity of ONL in macular fovea was significantly decreased, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). The ORR was positively correlated with blood flow density, and the correlation coefficient in NPDR group was lower than that in control group. The results of multifactor linear regression analysis showed that the superior and temporal ORR were correlated with blood flow density (P<0.05). ConclusionsCompared with the control group, ORR is reduced and less correlated with vessel density in NPDR patients. ORR is more affected by retinal blood flow density in temporal and superior parts.
Objective To observe and analyze the imaging features of pathologic myopic paravascular abnormalities (PVA) and macular retinoschisis (MRS) and their relationship with clinical features. MethodsA retrospective case series study. A total of 371 eyes of 224 patients with pathological myopia with PVA and/or MRS diagnosed by examination in Department of Ophthalmology of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from September 2021 to December 2023 were included in the study. There were 74 eyes in 48 males and 297 eyes in 176 females. Age were 54 (49, 61) years; equivalent spherical lens (SE) was −13.375 (−18.00, −10.00) D. Axial length (AL) was 29.84 (28.27, 31.24) mm. According to the features of ultra-wide-angle sweep source optical coherence tomography, PVA morphology was divided into blood vessels and paravascular microfolds, paravascular retinal cysts, paravascular retinal splits and paravascular lamellar macular holes. MRS was divided into inner layer, outer layer and mixed layer according to splitting level, and grouped accordingly. The presence of dome-shaped macula (DSM), internal and external lamellar macular hole, and full lamellar macular hole (FTMH) were recorded. According to whether PVA combined with MRS or not, the affected eyes were divided into PVA group and PVA combined with MRS group. According to whether MRS involved the fovea, the affected eyes were divided into two groups: MRS not involved the fovea group and MRS involved the fovea group. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare age, SE and AL among different groups. Qualitative data were compared by χ2 test. ResultsIn 371 eyes, there were 120 eyes in the simple PVA group; in the MRS group, there were 251 eyes, of which 208 eyes were in the PVA combined with MRS group. There were 33, 27, 3, 14, 12, 56, 28, and 7 eyes with or without retinal detachment, choroidal neovascularization, DSM, preretinal membrane, and simple superficial detachment of neuroepithelium in inner lamina, outer lamina, and FTMH, respectively. In 328 eyes with PVA, blood vessels and paravascular microfolds, paravascular retinal cysts, paravascular retinal splits and paravascular lamellar macular holes were 151, 236, 202 and 72 eyes, respectively. There were 142 eyes with single lesion (43.29%, 142/328). There were 186 eyes with 2 or more lesions (56.71%, 186/328). There were 34 eyes in the inner MRS group, 92 eyes in the outer MRS group and 125 eyes in the mixed MRS group, respectively. It involved 155 eyes in the fovea group; 96 eyes in the fovea group were not involved. There were significant differences in the number of PVA eyes between the outer MRS group, the inner MRS group and the mixed MRS group (χ2=30.614, 28.379; P<0.001). Compared with PVA group, PVA group combined with MRS group was more likely to have two or more PVA lesions, the difference was statistically significant (χ2=30.535, P<0.001). Compared with the inner MRS group and mixed MRS group, the age of the simple PVA group was younger, and the age of the outer MRS group was older, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with the inner MRS group and the outer MRS group, the simple PVA group had short AL, less myopia and better optimal corrected visual acuity (BCVA), while the mixed MRS group had long AL, more myopia and worse BCVA, and the differences were statistically significant (P<0.05). Compared with the PVA group and the inner MRS group, the fovea was more involved in the outer MRS group and the mixed MRS group, and the difference was statistically significant (χ2=3.906, 10.836; P<0.05). Those with MRS involved in fovea were older, AL was longer, myopia was more severe, and BCVA was worse (P<0.001). DSM-associated splits were less likely to involve macula (P<0.001). ConclusionPVA and MRS exhibit a variety of presentations, and their imaging features correlate with clinical features.
ObjectiveTo observe the histopathological changes in peripheral retinal lesions under intraoperative optical coherence tomography (iOCT). Methods A retrospective case series study. Eighty-eight patients (194 eyes) who underwent vitreoretinal surgery in the Department of Ophthalmology at the East Ward of the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from October 2021 to May 2022 in 94 eyes were included in the study. Among them, 49 cases were male and 39 cases were female, with the mean age of (50.93±17.55) years. Ninety-four eyes included 32 eyes with retinal detachment, 6 eyes with proliferative diabetic retinopathy, 28 eyes with vitreous hemorrhage, 8 eyes with ocular trauma, 14 eyes with the macular lesion, 1 eye with uveitis, 1 eye with family exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR), 1 eye with acute retinal necrosis (ARN), and 3 eyes with lens dislocation. All affected eyes were examined with iOCT during vitreoretinal surgery. The iOCT scanning of the peripheral retina was performed with the help of episcleral pressure. The pre-equatorial and serrated edge anterior and posterior of retinas were scanned according to the characteristics of different fundus diseases. Various abnormal fundus manifestations were recorded. Results In 94 eyes, 53 eyes (56.38%, 53/94) have different types of retinopathy in the peripheral retina. Of these, 7 eyes (7.45%) have retinal cystoid degeneration; 19 eyes (20.21%) have lattice degeneration; and 8 eyes (8.51%) have pigment degeneration; 9 eyes (9.57%) have pavement-like degeneration; 7 eyes (7.45%) have small occult holes; 1 eye (1.06%) has familial exudative vitreoretinopathy (FEVR) serrated edge "dyke-like" proliferative degeneration; 4 eyes (4.26%) have vitreous and retinopathy adhesions; and one eye (1.06%) has ARN. Conclusion With clear refractive media, iOCT can provide clear scans of different peripheral retinal lesions.
Objective To evaluate the causes of the metamorphopsia in patients with reattached retina after scleral buckling surgery. Methods Amsler grid test, ophthalmoscopic examination, fundus fluores cein angiography (FFA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) were performed on 79 patients (79 eyes) with reattached retina at the 2nd week, 2nd, 6th month and 1st year after scleral buckling operation. Results Two weeks after the operation, 51 patients (51 eyes, 64.56%) complained of metamorphopsia,and 44 patients (44 eyes, including 35 with and 9 without metamorphopsia) were examined by OCT and FFA. In patients with metamorphopsia, the results of OCT in 31 (88.57%) revealed abnormal macula with seven kinds consisting mostly of stratum neuroepithelium detachment (74.29%), while of FFA in 6 patients showed abnormal macular (17.14%) including 4 with neuroepithelium detachment (66.67%). In patients without metamorphopsia, abnormal macula could be found in 2 by OCT while nothing special was seen in FFA. Most abnormal macula in patients followed-up 2 months, 6 months and 1 year postoperatively meliorated as time went by, with alleviative or disappeared metamorphopsia; while the patients with persistently existing macular membrane had aggravating metamorphopsia. Conclusions Abnormal macula is the main reason for metamorphopsia after scleral buckling surgery. Neuroepithelium detachment and macular membrane are the main causes of metamorphopsia at the early and terminal stage after operation.(Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis,2004,20:94-97)
ObjectiveTo observe the clinical and multimodal imaging features of eyes with acute macular neuroretinopathy (AMN) associated with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). MethodsA retrospective study. From December 20, 2022 to January 17, 2023, a total of 29 patients (58 eyes) with COVID-19-associated AMN admitted to Department of Ophthalmology of Eye and ENT Hospital, Shanghai Medical College were included in the study. All the affected eyes underwent the best corrected visual acuity, color fundus photography, infrared fundus photography (IR), short-wavelength autofluorescence (SW-AF), near-infrared autofluorescence (NIL-AF), optical coherence tomography (OCT), and OCT angiography (OCTA). All patients were administered microcirculation-improving oral medication with 12 cases receiving adjunctive low-dose corticosteroid therapy. Follow-ups were conducted 1 to 3 months after the initial diagnosis, with a total of 19 cases (38 eyes) completing the one-month follow-up. ResultsOut of the 29 cases, there were 9 males (18 eyes) and 20 females (40 eyes), all of whom experienced bilateral eye involvement. The age of the patients ranged from 12 to 47 years, with an average age of (29.9±9.5) years. The time from the onset of fever to the appearance of ocular symptoms was (2.52±2.01) days. Among the 58 affected eyes, there were 5 cases with retinal cotton wool spots, 2 cases with optic disc edema, and 1 case with parafoveal branch retinal vein occlusion. All affected eyes exhibited deep reddish-brown macular dark spots. IR revealed wedge-shaped, wedge-like, or "petaloid-like" dark areas involving the fovea and parafovea. SW-AF examination showed no obvious abnormality in 39 eyes. Weak autofluorescence dark area were consistent with IR in 19 eyes. NIR-AF examination showed spot-like or flaky self-fluorescent dark areas. OCT examination showed strong reflex lesions spreading vertically upward from the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) layer in the macular area in the acute stage, showing typical "bean seedling" sign. OCTA revealed reduced blood flow density in the deep capillary plexus (DCP) of 50 eyes. En-face OCT displayed lesion areas that corresponded to the dark areas seen in IR. One month after the initial diagnosis, the condition improved in 18 eyes (47.4%, 18/38). Among the 5 eyes with cotton wool spots, regression of these spots was accompanied by loss of nerve fiber layer in 4 eyes. In cases with optic disc edema, the edema subsided. The "bean sprout" sign disappeared in all affected eyes, and the lesions became localized. The ellipsoid zone and/or interdigitation zone in the lesion areas were discontinuous. ConclusionsCOVID-19-related AMN is characterized by distinctive features. IR fundus reveals wedge-shaped, wedge-like, or petaloid dark areas involving the fovea and parafovea. OCT displays strongly reflective lesions with vertical spread above the RPE. OCTA shows reduced blood flow density in the DCP of the retina.
Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is the main cause of blindness in diabetic patients. Early diagnosis and intervention are essential to improve the quality of life of patients with DR. Choroidal vascularity index (CVI) is the ratio of choroidal luminal area to total area, which can reflect the structure and blood flow of the choroid, and has been used to evaluate the choroidal condition in various eye diseases. CVI has shown great potential in the prediction, early intervention, disease assessment, and prognosis of DR. The relationship between CVI and photoreceptors needs more research, and CVI may be used as a predictive indicator of photoreceptor health and visual prognosis. In addition, the study of CVI at different layers of the choroid is limited by the accuracy of stratification and the repeatability of measurement. Artificial intelligence and other technologies may provide solutions for this. In the future, through more comprehensive study and the help of artificial intelligence, the value of CVI will be further enriched, which is of great significance for the elucidation of the pathogenesis of DR and serving the clinic.
Objective To evaluate the correlation between retinal thickness (RT) at the macular area and the axial length (AL) in myopia. Mehtods Optical coherence tomography (OCT) was used to detect the RT at the macular fovea, and at the superior, nasal, inferior, and temporal side of the fovea and parafovea area. The AL of the examined eye was measured by IOL master measuring machine, and the correlation between RT at the macular area and the Al was evaluated. Results The minimum RT in the macular area in the eyes with myopia was (150.90plusmn;22.10)mu;m.The retina at the temporal side of parafovea was the thinnest. The average RT in the areas around the fovea was negatively correlated with the AL, and there was no correlation among the minimum RT, the mean RT at the fovea, and the AL of eye. Conclusions As the AL of eye increases, the RT at the parafovea decreases, while the minimum and the average RT at the fovea remain unchanged. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2006, 22: 397-399)
ObjectiveTo observe and analyze the influencing factors for the prognosis of anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) drug treatment in patients with macular neovascularization (MNV) under 45 years old. MethodsA retrospective clinical case study. A total of 89 MNV patients with 96 eyes who were diagnosed and treated with anti-VEGF drugs in Department of Ophthalmology of The Second Hospital of Lanzhou University from January 2020 to January 2024 were included in the study. The ages of all patients were <45 years old. All patients underwent best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and optical coherence tomography (OCT) examinations; 49 eyes underwent OCT angiography (OCTA) examination. The BCVA examination was carried out using the international standard visual acuity chart and was converted into the logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) visual acuity for statistics. The macular foveal thickness (CMT) was measured using an OCT instrument. The size of the MNV lesion was measured using the software of the OCTA self-contained device. The affected eyes were given intravitreal injection of anti-VEGF drugs once, and then the drugs were administered as needed after evaluation. The follow-up time after treatment was ≥6 months. During the follow-up, relevant examinations were performed using the same equipment and methods as before treatment. The last follow-up was taken as the time point for efficacy evaluation. According to the OCT image characteristics of the MNV lesions, the affected eyes were divided into the fibrous scar group and the non-fibrous scar group, with 52 (54.16%, 52/96) and 44 (45.83%, 44/96) eyes respectively. Comparing the CMT and BCVA at the last follow-up with those at the baseline, the affected eyes were divided into the CMT reduction group, the CMT increase group, the BCVA improvement group and the BCVA reduction group, with 66 (68.75%, 66/96), 30 (31.25%, 30/96) eyes and 74 (77.08%, 74/96), 22 (22.92%, 22/96) eyes respectively. The Mann-Whitney U test was used for the comparison of non-normally distributed measurement data between groups. Logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the independent factors affecting the prognosis of MNV patients. ResultsThere were no statistically significant differences in the age (Z=−0.928) and gender composition ratio (χ2= 0.123) between the fibrous scar group and the non-fibrous scar group (P>0.05); there were statistically significant differences in the number of eyes with a follow-up time of ≥36 months and <36 months (χ2= 3.906, P=0.048); there were statistically significant differences in the size of the MNV lesions (Z=−2.385, P=0.017); there were statistically significant differences in the number of eyes with different vascular network morphologies (χ2=12.936, P=0.001). Before treatment and at the last follow-up, the CMT of the affected eyes was 267.50 (237.25, 311.75) μm and 242.00 (217.25, 275.75) μm respectively; logMAR BCVA was 0.20 (0.10, 0.50) and 0.35 (0.16, 0.60) logMAR respectively. There were statistically significant differences in the CMT and logMAR BCVA before treatment and at the last follow-up (Z=−3.311,−1.984; P=0.001, 0.047). There were statistically significant differences in different ages (Z=−2.284), myopic diopter (χ2=7.437), etiology (χ2=6.956), and disease course (Z=−1.687) between the CMT reduction group and the CMT increase group (P<0.05). There were statistically significant differences in the number of eyes with different subjective feelings between the BCVA improvement group and the BCVA reduction group (χ2=10.133, P<0.05). The results of logistic regression analysis showed that the etiology was an independent risk factor for CMT thickening. ConclusionsAge, etiology, myopic diopter, disease course, follow-up time, lesion size and the morphology of the neovascular network are the influencing factors for the prognosis of anti-VEGF drug treatment in MNV patients under 45 years old. The etiology is an independent risk factor for CMT increase.
Objective To verify the significance of the morphological changes of the macula and its relationship to visual function by using optical coherence tomography (OCT) after scleral buckling procdure. Methods The macula of retinae of 68 patients (70 eyes) with reattached retinae after scleral buckling operation for retinal detachment were examined by OCT to scan the macula through fovea vertically and horizontally. Results Among the 70 eyes, 22 eyes revealed normal macula with thickness of neurosensory retina meant (146.47±20.59)μm. In the other 48 eyes (68.60%) with abnormal macula, 19 eyes showed extensive subretinal interspace, 9 eyes showed local subretinal interspace, 8 eyes showed macula edema, 4 eyes showed thin macula, 4 eyes showed subretinal proliferation and 4 eye showed epiretinal membrane over macula. In the normal macular structure group under the OCT, the visual acuity (VA) of the operated eyes was more than 0.3 in 6 eyes 2 weeks after operation and in 14 eyes 3 mons after operation. In the macula edema group, the VA was more than 0.3 in 1 eye 2 weeks after opoeration and 2 eyes 3 mons after operation. In the subretinal interspace group, the VA was more than 0.3 in 5 eyes 2 weeks after operation and in 23 eyes 3 mons after operation. The proportions of the numbers of operated eyes with the VA more than 0.3 after 3 mons of the operation in macular normal group subretinal interspace group and other macular disease group were significantly different (χ2=18.91, P<0.01). Conclusion OCT can precisely detect the structural changes of macula after retinal reattachment and assess visual function after surgery of retinal detachment. (Chin J Ocul Fundus Dis, 2002, 18: 266-268)