In the glaucoma clinic, patients with normal intraocular pressure (IOP) can sometimes show visual field (VF) progression. Therefore, clarification of relationship between vascular status and glaucomatous VF deterioration is a focus of interest. We used optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA), with the aim of evaluating the relationship between vessel density (VD) and VF progression in glaucoma patients. We included 104 eyes with open angle glaucoma who were followed up for at least 5 years in this retrospective case-control study. Superficial and deep VD of macula were assessed by OCTA. Regression analysis and Cox proportional hazards model were used to identify factors significantly associated with VF progression. In logistic regression analysis determining VF progression from Guided Progression Analysis (GPA) program, initial IOP and deep macular VD were significantly associated with VF progression in multivariate analysis (P = 0.019 and 0.004). Cox proportional hazards model also identified deep macular VD as significantly related to VF progression (P = 0.035). In conclusion, initial IOP and deep VD were related to VF deterioration in glaucoma. Deep VD might be used as a surrogate of glaucomatous VF progression related with vascular incompetence.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the ocular and hemodynamic factors contributing to the central visual function in glaucoma patients with myopia. Methods This study was a prospective observational study, which included 236 eyes of 140 patients with normal-tension glaucoma (NTG), which includes 114 eyes with mild myopia (axial length ≥24 and <26 mm) and 122 eyes with moderate-to-severe myopia (axial length ≥26 mm). Ocular characteristics were axial length and posterior pole profiles, including peripapillary atrophy (PPA) to disc area ratio, disc tilt ratio, disc torsion, and disc-foveal angle. Hemodynamic factors included standard deviation of the mean of qualified normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN) of a heart rate variability (HRV) test and vessel density (VD) parameters from optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). The root mean square error was estimated as a measure of the VD fluctuation. Association between ocular characteristics and VD parameters of the OCTA with the central sensitivity of the 10-degree visual field or the presence of central scotoma were analyzed. Results Deep layer VD of the peripapillary and macular areas showed significant differences between mild and moderate-to-severe myopia ( P = 0.034 and P = 0.045, respectively). Structural parameters, especially PPA to disc area ratio, had significant correlation with peripapillary VD parameters in myopic eyes. Lower SDNN value (ß = 0.924, P = 0.011), lower deep VD of the macular area (ß = 0.845, P = 0.001), and greater fluctuation of deep VD in the peripapillary area (ß = 1.517, P = 0.005) were associated with the presence of central scotoma in patients with glaucoma with myopia in multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusions The structural changes by myopia, especially in the peripapillary region, affected VD parameters in myopic eyes. Lower deep VD and greater VD fluctuation in the peripapillary region showed association with central scotoma in patients with glaucoma with myopia, suggesting both structural and vascular changes by myopia may be related to central visual function in glaucoma patients with myopia.