Photo Credit: mr.suphachai praserdumrongchai

The following is a summary of “Evaluation of Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Degenerative and Tractional Lamellar Macular Hole,” published in the July 2024 issue of Ophthalmology by Gültekin et al.

Researchers conducted a retrospective study assessing optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) findings in patients with degenerative and tractional lamellar macular holes (LMH).

They included 2 subtypes of LMH, which comprised 17 patients with the degenerative subtype and 18 with the tractional subtype. A control group of 20 HCs was also enrolled, and using OCTA, the foveal avascular zone (FAZ) and retinal vascular densities were analyzed and compared in the superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary (DCP), and choriocapillary plexuses across both subtypes and with the fellow eyes and HCs.

The result showed that the mean FAZ area was significantly larger in degenerative LMH (0.33 ± 0.14 mm²) compared to tractional LMH (0.24 ± 0.10 mm²) (P=0.04) and control eyes (0.26 ± 0.10 mm²) (P=0.03). The degenerative subtype also showed lower foveal vessel densities in the deep capillary plexuses and superficial compared to the tractional subtype, with densities of 21.7 ± 9.8% vs. 26.8 ± 6.9% (p=0.01) and 28.5 ± 5.1% vs. 36.9 ± 6.2% (P=0.01), respectively. Additionally, choriocapillary vascular density in the parafoveal region was reduced in degenerative LMH (60.4 ± 4.7%) compared to tractional LMH (63.7 ± 3.9%) (P=0.03). Both LMH subtypes had lower vessel densities in parafoveal and perifoveal areas across the SCP, CC, and DCP layers than controls (P<0.05). The LMH eyes showed higher foveal vascular density in SCP, while degenerative LMH had lower DCP density than other groups. 

Investigators concluded that the microvascular differences between degenerative and tractional LMH subtypes highlighted the distinct pathologies and supported recent updates in the classification and terminology of the condition.

Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1155/2024/4146294