PARAFOVEAL MICROVASCULAR FEATURES ON OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY IN EYES WITH CIRCUMSCRIBED CHOROIDAL HEMANGIOMA.

PURPOSE

To evaluate parafoveal microvasculature in eyes with circumscribed choroidal hemangioma using optical coherence tomography angiography.

METHODS

Fourteen eyes with unilateral circumscribed choroidal hemangioma were imaged using OCT for central macular thickness and optical coherence tomography angiography for superficial and deep foveal avascular zone area, and superficial and deep capillary density (CD), comparing affected and paired fellow eyes.

RESULTS

Mean patient age was 53 years, and mean visual acuity was 20/60 in the involved eye and 20/25 in the fellow eye. In the affected eye, clinical findings included cystoid macular edema (CME) in 1, parafoveal/subfoveal subretinal fluid (SRF) in three, and both CME and SRF in two eyes. OCT revealed current CME/SRF in six eyes, and normal foveal contour in eight eyes, among which five never demonstrated OCT evidence of CME or SRF. By OCT (affected vs. fellow eye), mean central macular thickness was greater in affected eyes (312 vs. 264 μm, P = 0.042). By optical coherence tomography angiography, there was no difference in superficial foveal avascular zone (P = 0.327), deep foveal avascular zone (P = 0.563), and superficial CD (P = 0.159), but mean deep plexus CD was reduced in affected eyes (50% vs. 54%, P = 0.010). Subgroup analysis showed that eyes with previous or current CME and/or SRF had reduced deep plexus CD (53% vs. 57%, P = 0.005), while eyes without previous/current CME/SRF had similar deep plexus CD (P = 0.399) compared with fellow eyes.

CONCLUSION

Circumscribed choroidal hemangioma generally does not affect parafoveal inner retinal microvasculature. However, a reduction in deep plexus CD can be expected in eyes with previous or current CME/SRF.