Foveolar choroidal blood flow in idiopathic macular hole

Abstract

Purpose: To measure choroidal blood flow from foveal region in the eyes with idiopathic macular hole.

Methods: Thirteen patients with macular hole and 20 age-matched healthy subjects were included into the study. While group 1 consisted of 13 eyes of idiopathic stage 4 macular hole, seven fellow eyes of the same patients with stage 1a macular hole formed the group 2. The control group (group 3) comprised the randomly selected eye of 20 age-matched healthy subjects. Mean values of blood perfusion parameters that were composed of volume, flow and velocity, were recorded from foveal region of fundus using Heidelberg Retinal Flowmeter (HRF). The differences between the three groups were compared with unpaired t-test, Wilcoxon Signed Rank and Fisher's Exact test using statistical package program.

Results: The mean blood volume and velocity in the eyes with stage 4 macular hole (group 1) and in the eyes with stage 1a macular hole (group 2) were both significantly lower than the eyes in control eyes (group 3) (p < 0.05, unpaired t-test). Although, the mean blood "flow" parameter of group 2 was significantly lower than group 3 ( p < 0.05, unpaired t-test), there was no statistical difference in the "flow" parameter between group 1 and group 3 (p > 0.05, unpaired t-test). The comparison between group 1 and group 2 revealed no significant difference in any perfusion parameter (p > 0.05, Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test).

Conclusion: Although, it may be result of macular hole, not necessarily the cause of it, these findings suggest that the eyes with idiopathic macular hole are associated with reduced foveolar blood flow. The measurement of the foveolar blood flow from choriocapillaris may be useful for identifying the subjects who have increased risk of development of macular hole in future. The study showed the association of a decrease in foveolar choroidal blood flow in eyes with idiopathic macular hole using HRF. Authors suggested that quantitative measurement of foveolar choroidal blood flow may be helpful for identifying the subjects who have increased risk of development of idiopathic macular hole.