Relationship Between Foveal Threshold and Macular Structure/Function/Vessel Density in Glaucoma.

PURPOSE

To investigate the hypothesis that macular structure, function, and vessel density (VD) measurements can predict foveal threshold (FT) outcomes in glaucomatous eyes.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

One hundred ninety-five eyes from 195 subjects (134 subjects with early-to-moderate stage open-angle glaucoma and 61 healthy controls) who underwent optical coherence tomography angiography imaging and 24-2 visual field (VF) testing with FT measurements on the same day were retrospectively enrolled in this study. The association of FT with macular structural/functional/VD measurements was evaluated using partial correlation analyses with adjustment for age and linear regression analyses.

RESULTS

FT showed significant correlations between the thickness of the macular ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (mGCIPL) (r=0.330, P<0.001) and the mean sensitivity (MS) of the central 5 and 10 degrees VF points (r=0.448, P<0.001 and r=0.361, P<0.001). Significant correlations were also found between FT and VD measurements at the inferior and superior parafoveal sectors (r=0.455, P<0.001 and r=0.438, P<0.001). In multivariate linear regression analyses controlling the covariates, the thickness of the mGCIPL, central 5 degrees VF MS, and parafoveal VD were significantly associated with FT (all P<0.001). There was also a significant association between FT and logMAR best-corrected visual acuity (β=-5.647, P<0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Macular VD along with mGCIPL thickness and central 5 degrees VF MS independently predict FT outcomes even in the eyes of patients with early-to-moderate stage open-angle glaucoma.