Vision Loss in Optic Disc Drusen Correlates With Increased Macular Vessel Diameter and Flux and Reduced Peripapillary Vascular Density

Abstract

•Optic disc drusen (ODD) is an optic neuropathy that is associated with visual field loss.•There are 5 OCT and OCTA measurements that most correlated with visual field loss.•Increased macular blood flow may be early biomarker of vision loss in ODD.•Decreased peripapillary vessel density may be late biomarker of vision loss in ODD. PurposeTo determine the key optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) parameters that correlate with visual field loss in optic disc drusen (ODD).DesignRetrospective cross-sectional study.MethodsSingle academic center. Seventeen patients with ODD (29 eyes) and 35 age-matched controls (53 eyes). Static perimetry, OCT, and OCTA imaging of optic disc and macula. Static perimetry, OCT, and OCTA measurements.ResultsWe investigated the relationship between static perimetry and 14 OCT/OCTA measurements in patients with ODD vs age-matched controls and found 5 key measurements that most correlated with visual field loss included: peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), macular ganglion cell complex (GCC), peripapillary vessel area density (VAD), macular vessel diameter (VD), and flux. Hierarchical clustering of these 5 measurements vs all clinical characteristics revealed 3 distinct clusters. ODD and control eyes with no visual field loss (mean deviation [MD] > −2.0 dB) had high RNFL and GCC, and low macular VD and flux. ODD eyes with mild visual field loss (MD −2.0 to −5.0 dB) had high RNFL, GCC, and increased macular VD and flux. ODD eyes with moderate/severe visual field loss (MD < −5.0 dB) had decreased RNFL, GCC, peripapillary VAD, and increased macular VD and flux.ConclusionsOCT and OCTA provided objective measurements that can help predict visual field loss in ODD. Our data suggest that increased macular flow may be an early biomarker of visual field loss in ODD, while decreased peripapillary vessel density and RNFL thickness are late biomarkers of visual field loss in ODD. To determine the key optical coherence tomography (OCT) and OCT angiography (OCTA) parameters that correlate with visual field loss in optic disc drusen (ODD). Retrospective cross-sectional study. Single academic center. Seventeen patients with ODD (29 eyes) and 35 age-matched controls (53 eyes). Static perimetry, OCT, and OCTA imaging of optic disc and macula. Static perimetry, OCT, and OCTA measurements. We investigated the relationship between static perimetry and 14 OCT/OCTA measurements in patients with ODD vs age-matched controls and found 5 key measurements that most correlated with visual field loss included: peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), macular ganglion cell complex (GCC), peripapillary vessel area density (VAD), macular vessel diameter (VD), and flux. Hierarchical clustering of these 5 measurements vs all clinical characteristics revealed 3 distinct clusters. ODD and control eyes with no visual field loss (mean deviation [MD] > −2.0 dB) had high RNFL and GCC, and low macular VD and flux. ODD eyes with mild visual field loss (MD −2.0 to −5.0 dB) had high RNFL, GCC, and increased macular VD and flux. ODD eyes with moderate/severe visual field loss (MD < −5.0 dB) had decreased RNFL, GCC, peripapillary VAD, and increased macular VD and flux. OCT and OCTA provided objective measurements that can help predict visual field loss in ODD. Our data suggest that increased macular flow may be an early biomarker of visual field loss in ODD, while decreased peripapillary vessel density and RNFL thickness are late biomarkers of visual field loss in ODD.

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