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. 2013 Sep;61(9):507-10.
doi: 10.4103/0301-4738.119437.

Foveal slope measurements in subjects with high-risk of age-related macular degeneration

Rajiv Raman  1 , Sayalee Lahane, Aditi Gupta, D Sandeep, Tarun Sharma
Affiliations

Foveal slope measurements in subjects with high-risk of age-related macular degeneration

Rajiv Raman et al. Indian J Ophthalmol. 2013 Sep.

Abstract

Background: Recent reports indicated that the slope of the foveal depression influences the macular pigment (MP) spatial profile. MP has been shown to confer possible protection against age-related macular degeneration (ARMD) because of its antioxidant properties.

Aims: To study the configuration of foveal slope and the foveal thickness in fellow eyes of subjects with unilateral neovascular ARMD.

Settings and design: Case-control series.

Materials and methods: The study population consisted of 30 cases aged >50, who had unilateral choroidal neovascular membrane (CNVM) or disciform scar in the fellow eye and 29 controls aged >50, who had no sign of ARMD in the either eye. Using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography, foveal thickness at different locations including the central subfield foveal thickness (CSFT) was noted. The foveal slopes were calculated in the six radial scans (between 0.25° and 1° retinal eccentricity) as well as the 3D scan.

Results: Cases had a significantly higher CSFT when compared to controls (215.1 ± 36.19 μ vs. 193.0 ± 17.38 μ, P = 0.004). On the 3D scan, the cases had shallower superior (cases 1.32 ± 0.32 vs. controls 1.45 ± 0.13, P = 0.04) and temporal slopes (cases 1.27 ± 0.21 vs. controls 1.39 ± 0.12, P = 0.01) in comparison to the controls.

Conclusions: We noted a shallower superior and temporal foveal slope and a higher CSFT in the fellow eyes of subjects with a unilateral neovascular ARMD. Prospective studies observing the development of CNVM in subjects with altered foveal slope might provide more information on this optical coherence tomography finding.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest: None declared.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Calculations of foveal slope using radial scans and 3D scans
Figure 2
Figure 2
Comparison of retinal thickness measurements in cases and controls (CSFT: Central subfield foveal thickness, ST: Superior subfield thickness, IT: Inferior subfield thickness, NT: Nasal subfield thickness and TT: Temporal subfield thickness)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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