Comparison of macular choroidal thickness in adult onset foveomacular vitelliform dystrophy and age-related macular degeneration.

PURPOSE

To compare macular choroidal thickness (MCT) in eyes with adult onset foveomacular vitelliform dystrophy (AOFVD) and eyes with AMD.

METHODS

Five groups of 38 eyes each were included in a prospective, observational, comparative study: AOFVD eyes with fluid accumulation; AOFVD fellow eyes without fluid (early stage); advanced exudative (wet) AMD; advanced dry AMD; and healthy normal eyes. All study eyes underwent a comprehensive ophthalmologic examination. Macular choroidal thickness was measured using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT).

RESULTS

Subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) in AOFVD with subretinal fluid (325.66 ± 85.98 μm) was significantly (P < 0.001) thicker compared with that in exudative AMD (158.55 ± 57.87 μm) and in dry AMD (157.53 ± 67.08 μm). Also, in AOFVD, the choroid was significantly (P = 0.001) thicker than that in the normal group (255.87 ± 87.46 μm). However, in AOFVD, there was no significant difference (P = 0.69) between the SFCT in the study eye and in the fellow eye (317.66 ± 90.04 μm). The choroidal thickness at each of the other 12 measured points showed similar results.

CONCLUSIONS

This study demonstrates choroidal thickening in AOFVD in contrast with the choroidal thinning observed in advanced AMD. These findings suggest that the pathogenic mechanisms in AOFVD are different from those in exudative AMD. Choroidal thickness measurement could help differentiate the challenging diagnosis between exudative AMD and the advanced stage of AOFVD (with fluid accumulation but without choroidal neovascularization).