Ocular perfusion pressure and choroidal thickness in eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy, wet-age-related macular degeneration, and normals

Abstract

PurposeTo measure the choroidal thickness and ocular perfusion pressure in eyes with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), wet-age-related macular degeneration (AMD), and age-matched normal subjects, and look for a possible association between the two.MethodsThis was a prospective study including 22 eyes with PCV, 33 eyes with wet-AMD, and 35 age-matched normal eyes. Choroidal thickness was measured using enhanced depth imaging (EDI) with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD OCT). Mean ocular perfusion pressure (MOPP) was calculated using the mathematical formula 2/3[DBP+1/3 SBP × DBP]-IOP (DBP - diastolic blood pressure, SBP - systolic blood pressure, IOP - intraocular pressure). Analyses were carried out using SPSS 14 software and comparisons of mean made using't' tests.ResultsEyes with PCV showed increased (285.9 μm; subfoveal) choroidal thickness, whereas eyes with wet-AMD (119.4 μm; subfoveal) showed reduced choroidal thickness in comparison with normal eyes (186.77 μm; subfoveal). MOPP in the PCV group was 57.85 mm Hg (P value 0.00), in the wet-AMD group was 52.1 mm Hg (P-value 0.12), and in the normal group was 49.79 mm Hg.ConclusionIt is postulated that higher MOPP in eyes with PCV could have an etiologic implication in disease manifestation and progression. Larger studies with longer follow-up may help validate these findings. © 2013 Macmillan Publishers Limited All rights reserved.