Choroidal Area Assessment In Different Fundus Sectors Of Different Stage Primary Open Angle Glaucoma Patients By Enhanced Depth Imaging Optical Coherence Tomography

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the choroidal area in different eye fundus sectors of subjects with normal eyes, early-stage primary open-angle glaucoma(POAG), and 10° tubular visual field POAG eyes using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography(EDI-OCT).Methods: Twenty-five normal, 25 early-stage, and 25 10° tubular visual field POAG eyes were recruited for this study. EDI-OCT was used to measure the choroidal area in different fundus sectors(macula; 10°superior/inferior/temporal and 24°superior/inferior/temporal/nasal from the macula) and the peripapillary sector.Results: There were neither significant choroidal area differences at any of the eight measured fundus sectors, nor significant difference rate between the choroidal area of the macula and other seven measured fundus sectors among the three enrolled group(P>0.05). For average peripapillary choroidal area, no significant difference was found(P>0.05); however, the temporal peripapillary choroidal area of 10°tubular visual field POAG eyes was significant thicker than that of normal eyes(446213±116267 ? m~2 vs. 374164±121658 ? m~2, P=0.048).Conclusions: Our study showed no significant difference in the choroidal area of the eight measured fundus sectors of normal eyes, early-stage POAG eyes, and 10° tubular visual field POAG eyes, suggesting that there might be no blood redistribution from the peripheral choroid to the subfoveal choroid. However, the thicker temporal peripapillary choroidal area might play a role in the central visual nerve protection in POAG patients.