Changes of Macular Thickness and Microvasculature in the Fellow Eyes of Patients with Branch Retinal Vein Occlusion

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the changes in retinal and choroidal thickness and microvasculature using optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography in the fellow eye of unilateral branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO) patients. Methods: Twenty-two fellow eyes with unilateral BRVO and 23 normal eye controls were retrospectively analyzed. OCT was used to measure the thickness of the total retina, inner retina, the total choroid, the Haller's layer, and the choriocapillaris/Sattler's layer. OCT angiography was used to measure the vascular density (VD) of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), and choriocapillaris layers. In addition, we measured the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area and compared the differences between the two groups. Results: The thicknesses of the subfoveal choroid and Haller's layer measured by OCT tended to be thicker in the fellow eye of unilateral BRVO patients, but there was no significant difference between the two eye groups (p = 0.075, p = 0.531). On the other hand, the thickness of the choriocapillaris/Sattler's layer was significantly thicker in the fellow eye of unilateral BRVO patients (p = 0.011). VD of SCP measured by OCT angiography was not significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.969), but VD of the DCP was significantly lower in the fellow eye of unilateral BRVO patients (p = 0.039). There was no difference in the FAZ area and VD of choriocapillaris (p = 0.969, p = 0.227). Conclusions: The thickness of the choriocapillaris/Sattler's layer was increased and the DCP VD was decreased in the fellow eye of BRVO patients when compared to normal controls.