Choroidal Thickness in Polypoidal Choroidal Vasculopathy and Exudative Age-related Macular Degeneration

Retinal and Choroidal Thickness in Early Age-Related Macular Degeneration

“…[14][15][16] Our data are in agreement with a study reporting a significant decrease in choriocapillary density in 25 eyes with features of AMD, but finding no significant decrease in the thickness of the choroid compared to age-matched controls. 14 Our data are also supported by a recent study by Chung et al (2011) evaluating choroidal thickness in early AMD using the 870nm OCT with an enhanced depth imaging technique. They also found a small, but statistically non-significant reduction in subfoveal choroidal thickness in the individuals with early AMD, compared to age-matched controls.…”

“…They also found a small, but statistically non-significant reduction in subfoveal choroidal thickness in the individuals with early AMD, compared to age-matched controls. 23 However, there is evidence to suggest that choroidal thinning may occur in end-stage AMD. [15][16]23 McLeod et al examined the post-mortem choroid in 3 aged control eyes, 5 with geographic atrophy, and 3 with neovascular AMD and reported a linear relationship between the loss of RPE and choriocapillaris in geographic atrophy, and a 50% reduction in choroidal vascular cross-sectional area in eyes with wet AMD, even in the absence of RPE atrophy.…”

“…23 However, there is evidence to suggest that choroidal thinning may occur in end-stage AMD. [15][16]23 McLeod et al examined the post-mortem choroid in 3 aged control eyes, 5 with geographic atrophy, and 3 with neovascular AMD and reported a linear relationship between the loss of RPE and choriocapillaris in geographic atrophy, and a 50% reduction in choroidal vascular cross-sectional area in eyes with wet AMD, even in the absence of RPE atrophy. 15 Sarks carried out a histological study on 378 eyes from patients aged 43-97 years, who had either normal fundi or some degree of AMD.…”

“…Thinning was associated with increasing age both in aged patients classified as clinically normal and in those with all stages of AMD, but it was particularly prevalent in those with advanced AMD. A significant reduction in in vivo subfoveal choroidal thickness has also been reported in individuals with exudative AMD, in a study which used 870nm enhanced depth imaging OCT. 23 Although there is strong evidence for the occurrence of age-related thinning of the choroid, 14,16,24 and for changes in choroidal perfusion in early AMD, 13,[25][26] evidence for thinning of the choroid specific to early AMD is not apparent in the literature. Our findings would suggest that any changes in the perfusion and blood flow dynamics of the choriocapillaris associated with early AMD are independent of choroidal thickness.…”

“…Multiple studies have assessed choroidal thickness in healthy individuals using the OCT, [23][24][27][28][29][30] however, only a few have used a 1060nm system. [27][28] A recent study using 1060nm OCT to investigate the correlation between axial length and choroidal thickness in 34 healthy subjects (64 eyes) aged 19-80 years, found a mean central choroidal thickness of 315m (SD 106m), with the choroid thinnest in the nasal parafovea.…”