Peripapillary and macular choroidal thickness before and after phenylephrine instillation.

OBJECTIVES

We investigated the effects of topical phenylephrine 2.5% instillation on choroidal thickness (CT), peripapillary choroidal thickness (pCT) and retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL).

METHODS

Healthy control patients underwent enhanced depth imaging (EDI) by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) before and 30 min after phenylephrine instillation, using eye-tracking and follow-up software. Changes in 14 different locations of CT, 2 locations of pCT and RNFL were assessed.

RESULTS

The study included 119 eyes of 62 patients (19 males and 43 females), with a mean age of 59.8 ± 15.3 years (range: 26-88 years). Within 30 min after instillation, the mean subfoveal CT both in vertical and horizontal scan were significantly thinned (p = 0.005 and p  = 0.018, respectively). In total, 1500, 1000 and 500 µm temporal CT measurements showed also a significant thinning (p = 0.021, p  = 0.037 and p = 0.020, respectively), as well as 500 µm both superior (p  = 0.045) and inferior (p  = 0.009). 1500, 1000 and 500 µm nasal CT, and 1500 and 1000 µm CT superior and inferior measurements showed no significant thinning after phenylephrine instillation. pCT was significantly thinned after phenylephrine in both superior (p = 0.016) and inferior (p = 0.050) measurements. RNFL analysis did not significantly change after phenylephrine instillation (p =  0.209).

CONCLUSIONS

A significant thinning of CT and pCT occurred following phenylephrine instillation. Future studies analysing CT and pCT should detail if this mydriatic agent was used or not.