PurposeTo quantify peripapillary microvasculature within the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and normal eyes, determine association of perfusion parameters with structural and functional measures, and report diagnostic accuracy of perfusion parameters.Patients and methodsPOAG and normal patients underwent 6×6 mm2 optic nerve head scans (Angioplex optical coherence tomography angiography [OCTA]; Cirrus HD-OCT 5000) and Humphrey Field Analyzer II-i 24-2 visual field (VF) testing. Prototype software performed semiautomatic segmentation to create RNFL en face images and quantified vessel area density (VAD), vessel skeleton density (VSD), and vessel complexity index (VCI) in the optic nerve head globally and focally. Generalized estimating equations models assessed association of OCTA parameters with VF mean deviation (MD) and RNFL thickness.ResultsThirty-eight POAG and 17 normal eyes were studied. Global VAD, VSD, and VCI were reduced in mild POAG vs normal (P<0.02) and moderate-severe vs mild POAG (P<0.04). Stepwise focal reductions across disease stage were demonstrated for OCTA parameters in the inferior hemisphere (P<0.05); reduction in OCTA parameters in mild POAG vs normal was demonstrated in inferior and superior quadrants (P<0.05). Reduced global VF MD was associated with reduced VAD, VSD, and VCI (P=0.0007, 0.0013, <0.0001; R2=0.449, 0.312, 0.399, respectively), and global RNFL thickness was associated with VAD, VSD, and VCI (P<0.0001; R2=0.499, 0.524, 0.542), superior and inferior hemifield MD were associated with corresponding VAD, VSD, and VCI (P≤0.001; R2 from 0.208 to 0.513). RNFL thickness in all quadrants was associated with corresponding OCTA parameters (P<0.05; R2 from 0.213 to 0.394), except temporal VAD and VCI. Area under curves for VAD, VSD, and VCI demonstrated good diagnostic ability (0.868, 0.855, 0.868; P<0.0001).ConclusionGlaucomatous eyes showed stepwise reductions in RNFL microcirculation across severity; focal reductions in the inferior hemisphere and inferior and superior quadrants were most significant. OCTA parameters had stronger associations with structural rather than functional measures of glaucoma.

Glaucomatous eyes had reduced GCIPL microcirculation. OCTA parameters had stronger associations with functional rather than structural measures of glaucoma. This observation deserves further study.

PurposeTo compare the diagnostic ability of the vessel parameters in macular and peripapillary regions measured using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiography (SD-OCTA) in differentiating primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) from healthy eyes.MethodsPOAG patients and healthy subjects underwent 6 × 6-mm scans centered on the macula and optic nerve head. Commercially available automatic segmentation created en face images from SD-OCTA of the superficial retinal layer (SRL) of the macular (m) and peripapillary (cp) regions. Vessel area density (VAD), vessel skeleton density (VSD), vessel complexity index (VCI), and flux were calculated. Area under curve (AUC) statistics controlled for age and intereye correlation.ResultsOf 126 eyes from 79 patients who underwent SD-OCTA macula and peripapillary imaging, 50 eyes from 35 POAG patients and 37 healthy eyes from 25 control subjects had good quality imaging and were studied. Diagnostic accuracies of four perfusion parameters, VAD, VSD, VCI, and flux, were significantly greater in the peripapillary compared with the macular regions. For VAD, the cpAUC was 0.84 and mAUC was 0.73 (AUC difference: P = 0.026). For VSD, the cpAUC was 0.84 and mAUC was 0.72 (ΔP = 0.015). For VCI, the cpAUC was 0.80 and mAUC was 0.70 (ΔP = 0.045). For flux, the cpAUC = 0.87 and mAUC was 0.76 (ΔP = 0.0091).ConclusionsPeripapillary perfusion parameters performed better than macular perfusion parameters for glaucoma diagnosis, supporting the idea that glaucomatous superficial retinal vascular changes are more pronounced in the peripapillary region.Translational RelevanceThe diagnostic accuracy of OCTA perfusion parameters of the superficial retinal microcirculation was greater for the peripapillary region than the macular region in the diagnosis of glaucoma.

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PURPOSE. The African American (AA) population has unique ocular anatomic characteristics and a disproportionately high incidence of glaucoma, which is associated with lower peripapillary vessel density (VD). This study aimed to identify ocular determinants of peripapillary VD in healthy AAs. METHODS. This was a cross-sectional, population-based study of 1029 AAs, ages 40 and older. Participants underwent examination to obtain axial length (AL), IOP, central corneal thickness (CCT), mean retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, visual field mean deviation (MD), and 6 3 6-mm optical coherence tomography angiography scans of the optic nerve. Participants with glaucoma, vision-threatening diabetic retinopathy, or other relevant ocular disease were excluded. Prototype software was used to quantify VD. A multivariable regression model, controlling for age and signal strength, identified the ocular variables that predicted peripapillary VD. The contribution of each variable was assessed with the magnitude of standardized regression coefficients (SRC). RESULTS. Based on univariate regressions, AL, RNFL thickness, and MD had significant associations with peripapillary VD (all P < 0.001). In the final multivariate model, lower mean RNFL thickness (b ¼ 0.0022, P < 0.001, SRC ¼ 0.542) and longer AL (b ¼ À0.0055, P < 0.001, SRC ¼ À0.118) were associated with lower peripapillary VD, controlling for age and signal strength, with model R 2 of 0.69. CONCLUSIONS. Thinner RNFL and longer AL were the most influential ocular determinants of lower peripapillary perfusion in healthy AA eyes. Additional research is needed to clarify whether longer AL increases risk of glaucoma by affecting capillary perfusion.

Objective: To compare diagnostic ability of peripapillary vessel parameters from 4.5×4.5mm ("4.5") and 6.0×6.0mm ("6.0") spectral-domain optical coherence tomography angiography (SD-OCTA) scans of the radial peripapillary capillaries (RPC) in detecting primary open angle glaucoma (POAG) from non-glaucoma eyes.Methods: Consecutive patients from an academic glaucoma clinic underwent 4.5 and 6.0 scans (CIRRUS™ HD-OCT 5000 with AngioPlex® OCT Angiography; ZEISS, Dublin, CA). Automatic segmentation created en face RPC images. Vessel area density (VAD), vessel skeleton density (VSD), and flux were calculated using custom quantification software, and perfusion density (PD) and flux index (FI) using automated quantification software. Area under curve (AUC) statistics included age and hypertension in the analysis.