Choroidal structural changes after phacoemulsification in eyes with age-related macular degeneration

Abstract

Aim: To evaluate the changes in choroidal vascular structures in patients with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and healthy controls (No-AMD) after phacoemulsification.

Methods: This prospective study was conducted in 34 eyes of 19 patients in the AMD group and 32 eyes of 20 patients in the no-AMD group who had uneventful phacoemulsification. Best-corrected visual acuity, slit-lamp biomicroscopy, and intraocular pressure were recorded. Choroidal thickness (CT) measurements of the subjects were obtained using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (Edi-OCT) (RS-3000 Advance, Nidek, Japan), and choroidal vascular index (CVI) was calculated by using the binarization method at baseline and postoperatively at months 1 (M1) and 3 (M3) and the results were compared.

Results: There was no significant difference between the patients in terms of age and gender (p=0.069, p=0.855 respectively). The mean CVI at baseline was 0.644 ± 0.019% in the AMD group and 0.657 ± 0.021% in the no-AMD group (p=0.025). In the AMD group, the CVI increased significantly in M3 compared to preoperative values (p=0.001). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of CT in baseline, M1, and M3 (p>0.05). There was a significant increase in CT in M1 compared to preoperative values in both groups (p=0.026 and p=0.050, respectively).

Conclusion: Although the preoperative CVI was lower in the AMD group than in the no-AMD group, there was a greater increase in CVI after phacoemulsification in the AMD group. While CT values return to normal after phacoemulsification sooner, CVI remains elevated for a longer period.