Choroidal area assessment in various fundus sectors of patients at different stages of primary open-angle glaucoma by using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography

To compare the choroidal area in different eye fundus sectors of subjects with normal eyes, early-stage primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) eyes, and 10° tubular visual field POAG eyes using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography. Twenty-five normal, 25 early-stage POAG, and 25 ten-degree tubular visual field POAG eyes were recruited. Enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography was used to measure the choroidal area in different fundus sectors (fovea; 10° superior, inferior, temporal, and 24° superior, inferior, temporal, nasal to the fovea) and the peripapillary sector. There were neither significant differences in the choroidal area at any of the 8 measured fundus sectors, nor significant differences in the percentage change between the choroidal area of the fovea and other 7 measured fundus sectors among the 3 groups (all P > 0.05). For the total peripapillary choroidal area, no significant difference was found among the 3 groups (P > 0.05); however, the temporal peripapillary choroidal area of 10° tubular visual field POAG eyes was significantly thicker than that of normal eyes (4,46,213 ± 1,16,267 vs 3,74,164 ± 1,21,658 μm(2); P = 0.048). Our study showed that there was no significant difference in the choroidal area of the 8 measured fundus sectors among normal, early-stage POAG, and 10° tubular visual field POAG eyes, suggesting that there might be no blood redistribution from the peripheral choroid to the subfoveal choroid. However, the thicker temporal peripapillary choroidal area might play a role in the central visual acuity protection in patients with POAG.