Research Information System
International Ophthalmology, vol.44, no.1, 2024 (SCI-Expanded)
Purpose: To evaluate the peripapillary/parapapillary choroidal vascular parameters in the keratoconus (KC) and to determine the relationship between topography parameters and the peripapillary/parapapillary choroidal vascular parameters. Method: Ninety eyes of ninety patients with different stages of KC and 29 eyes of twenty-nine patients without KC were enrolled in the study. Patients with KC were divided into three groups according to the Amsler–Krumeich classification scale. The choroidal vasculature was assessed by choroidal vascular parameters [such as parapapillary choroidal microvascular density (pCMVd) and peripapillary choroidal vascularity index (pCVI)]. These parameters were also evaluated for correlation with other parameters. Result: The retinal nerve fibre layer thickness (RNFLT) of the superior-temporal area and the pCVI were decreased in group 3 compared to the control group (superiror-temporal RNFLT: 122.27 ± 21.43 vs 139.90 ± 21.7, p = 0.01 and pCVI: 67.04 ± 4.14 vs 69.99 ± 4.38, p = 0.04). The superior-temporal RNFLT was decreased in group 3 compared to group 2 (122.27 ± 21.43 vs 141.83 ± 25.58, p = 0.006). There was a negative correlation between pCVI and average simulated keratometry (mean sim K), but this association was weak (r = − 0.29 p = 0.001). Conclusion: This study demonstrated that there may be changes in pCVI in patients with grade 3 KC and that there may be an association between pCVI and mean sim K. As KC grade increases, pCVI may decrease. Furthermore, pCVI may have a negative correlation with mean sim K.