Evaluation of Foveal Avascular Zone and Capillary Plexus in Smokers Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

PURPOSE: To evaluate the macular microvasculature in smokers in comparison to healthy subjects using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). METHODS: Fifty chronic, regular smokers and 50 healthy non-smokers, as a control group, were recruited for the study. Foveal avascular zone (FAZ) area (mm(2)) and vessel density (VD) (%) in the superficial (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) were evaluated. RESULTS: FAZ area was 0.424 ± 0.100 mm(2) in the smoker group and 0.333 ± 0.093 mm(2) in the non-smoking control group (P = 0.002). The deep foveal VD was 31.76 ± 6.33% in the smoker group and 53.09 ± 5.88% in the non-smoking control group (P = 0.006). Superficial foveal and parafoveal, deep parafoveal VD were not statistically different between the groups (P = 0.120), (P = 0.337), (P = 0.287), respectively. CONCLUSION: In our study, there was an enlargement of FAZ and reduction of foveal VD at DCP in the eyes of smokers compared with non-smoking adults.