Assessment of Macular Perfusion in Early Diabetic Retinopathy Patient Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography..

Abstract Background: The chronic hyperglycemia of diabetes leads to long-term damage, and deterioration of different organs, especially the eyes, kidneys, nerves, and blood vessels. The riskiest complication includes diabetic retinopathy and maculopathy. Aim of the study: Assessment of macular perfusion in early subclinical diabetic retinopathy patients by using noninvasive technology Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography (OCTA), to prevent vision loss. Patients and methods: a prospective case series observational study includes 44 eyes for 33 candidates, 30 eyes for diabetic Patients and 14 eyes for normal non-diabetic, Patients' Age group is 30 – 60 years old. Results: regarding both groups diabetic and non-diabetic, patients with normal fundus picture, 46.2% had very mild to mild affection of macular perfusion (SVP-VD 50 ± 3.5%, DVP-VD 56 ± 3.0%) with FAZ perimeter range (1.3-1.5) mm, 53.8% did not have macular perfusion affection and none of the patients had moderate affection of macular perfusion. While patients whom fundus picture showing mild-NPDR, 11.1% had very mild to mild affection of macular perfusion and 88.9% had moderate affection of macular perfusion (SVP –VD 45 ± 4.5%, DVP-VD 50 ± 4.0%) with FAZ perimeter range (1.7-2.8) mm, a significant difference between groups (P-value <.0001). Conclusion: Macular perfusion is markedly affected by diabetes duration despite of good clinical fundus picture. OCTA is very beneficial in investigating diabetic maculopathy and ischemia in early stages. Keywords: Macular Perfusion, Diabetic Retinopathy, Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.