Visual field defects and changes in macular retinal ganglion cell complex thickness in eyes with intrachoroidal cavitation are similar to those in early glaucoma

• Main Authors: Okuma S, Mizoue S, Ohashi Y
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dove Medical Press 2016-06-01
• Series: Clinical Ophthalmology
• Subjects: Intrachoroidal Cavitation; Visual Field; Ganglion Cell Complex; Glaucoma
• Online Access: https://www.dovepress.com/visual-field-defects-and-changes-in-macular-retinal-ganglion-cell-comp-peer-reviewed-article-OPTH

Shinichi Okuma,1 Shiro Mizoue,2,3 Yuichi Ohashi3 1Department of Ophthalmology, Sumitomo Besshi Hospital, Niihama-shi, 2Department of Ophthalmology, Minami-Matsuyama Hospital, Matsuyama-shi, 3Department of Ophthalmology, Ehime University School of Medicine, Toon-shi, Ehime, Japan Background/aims: To examine the characteristics of visual field defects and optical coherence tomography (OCT) findings in eyes with intrachoroidal cavitation (ICC) and investigate the similarities between these results and glaucomatous changes.Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients diagnosed with ICC based on peripapillary radial cross-sectional scans performed with OCT. Visual field was measured with the Humphrey automated visual field analyzer SITA standard central 24-2 program, and macular ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness was measured in 9×9 mm areas on OCT. The positive rates for the Anderson criteria, site of visual field defect, and mean GCC thickness in each quadrant were compared; the association between these results and ICC location was assessed.Results: Fifteen eyes from eleven patients (five males and six females; mean age, 54.6±10.7 years) were selected for investigation. ICC was detected in the inferior temporal side of the optic disc in all studied eyes. The positive rate for the Anderson criteria was 73.3% (11/15 eyes). Visual field defects were most commonly observed in the cluster that corresponded to the superior Bjerrum area (53.3%; 8/15 eyes). GCC thickness was significantly lower in the inferior side, where the ICC was located, than the superior side, where the ICC was absent (P=0.0001). GCC thinning that correlated with ICC was observed in 66.7% (10/15 eyes) of the ICC eyes.Conclusion: Visual field and GCC findings on OCT in ICC eyes are extremely similar to those observed in superior visual field defect-type early glaucoma, indicating a possible difficulty in distinguishing the two conditions. Keywords: intrachoroidal cavitation, visual field, ganglion cell complex, glaucoma