Analysis of Macular Vessel Density and Foveal Avascular Zone Using Spectral-Domain Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Children With Amblyopia.

PURPOSE: To quantify the foveal avascular zone and the whole, parafoveal, and foveal vessel density of superficial and deep capillary plexus in amblyopic eyes and age-matched controls and to compare the measurements.

METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 49 eyes from 17 patients with amblyopia and 21 healthy children (aged 6 to 16 years). Optical coherence tomography angiography was performed for all participants and superficial capillary plexus, deep capillary plexus, and foveal avascular zone were evaluated. Data from amblyopic eyes, fellow eyes with unilateral amblyopia, and control eyes were compared using the Mann-Whitney U test.

RESULTS: The mean patient age was 8.6 ± 2.5 years in the amblyopia group and 9.6 ± 2.9 years in the control group. The mean foveal avascular zone measurements were 0.251 ± 0.1 mm2 in the amblyopia group and 0.291 ± 0.1 mm2 in the control group. The whole, foveal, and parafoveal vessel densities of superficial capillary plexus were 48.8% ± 3.7%, 23.8% ± 8.8%, and 50.9% ± 4.6% in the amblyopia group and 48.4% ± 2.5%, 19.3% ± 5.4%, and 51.3% ± 2.7% in the control group. The whole, foveal, and parafoveal vessel densities of deep capillary plexus were 51.8% ± 4.3%, 37.6% ± 5.8%, and 54.8% ± 4.2% in the amblyopia group and 54.4% ± 3.2%, 34.9% ± 7.4%, and 56.8% ± 3.2% in the control group. No statistically significant difference was detected in all measurements.

CONCLUSIONS: Assessment of the foveal avascular zone and vessel density of superficial capillary plexus and deep capillary plexus with optical coherence tomography angiography revealed no difference between amblyopic eyes, controls, and fellow eyes of patients with unilateral amblyopia. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2019;56(1):55-59.].