ACUTE PSEUDOPHAKIC CYSTOID MACULAR EDEMA IMAGED BY OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY.

PURPOSE: To study macular capillary changes and vessel density in acute pseudophakic cystoid macular edema (PCME) before and after treatment using optical coherence tomography angiography.

METHODS: Retrospective observational case-control study of seven consecutive patients (eight eyes) with PCME and eight age-matched control eyes imaged with optical coherence tomography angiography (RTVue XR Avanti; Optovue, Inc, Fremont, CA) using Projection Removal Artifacts software. Vessel density was calculated.

RESULTS: The mean time to diagnosis of PCME was 2.3 ± 0.9 months after surgery. At initial examination, the superficial capillary plexus pattern was near-normal in all PCME eyes, although it was attenuated in the deep capillary plexus. The mean vessel density of the superficial capillary plexus in PCME eyes was slightly but significantly lower than in control eyes (47.8 ± 3.8% vs. 52.9 ± 4.0%, P = 0.01), the difference being greater in the deep capillary plexus (44.1 ± 7.4% vs. 54.2 ± 3.2%, P = 0.007). After resolution of the edema, the deep capillary plexus completely recovered its normal pattern and the vessel density in both plexuses was no longer different from that observed in control eyes.

CONCLUSION: Macular vessel density after resolution of an acute PCME did not differ from that of normal control eyes in both the superficial capillary plexus and deep capillary plexus, unlike macular edema in retinal vaso-occlusive diseases.