Purpose: To identify the effects of prolonged type 2 diabetes (T2DM) on macular microcirculation and the inner retinal layer in diabetic eyes without clinical diabetic retinopathy (DR). Methods: 97, 92, and 57 eyes in the control, patients with T2DM < 10 years (DM group one), and patients with T2DM ≥ 10 years (DM group two) were enrolled. The ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GC-IPL) thickness and superficial vessel density (VD) were compared. Linear regression analyses were performed to identify factors associated with VD in T2DM patients. Results: GC-IPL thicknesses in the control, DM group one, and DM group two were 84.58 ± 0.89, 83.49 ± 0.70, and 79.04 ± 0.96 μm, respectively (p < 0.001). The VDs of the full area were 20.32 ± 0.15, 19.46 ± 0.17, and 18.46 ± 0.23 mm⁻¹ (p < 0.001). Post-hoc analyses revealed that the VDs of the full area was significantly different in the control vs. DM group one (p = 0.001), control vs. DM group two (p < 0.001), and DM group one vs. DM group two (p = 0.001). Multivariate linear regression analyses revealed that DM duration (p = 0.037), visual acuity (p = 0.013), and GC-IPL thickness (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with the VD of T2DM patients. Conclusions: We confirmed GC-IPL thinning and decreased superficial VD in the macular areas using OCTA in T2DM patients. Patients with T2DM ≥ 10 years exhibited significantly more severe macular microcirculation impairment compared to patients with T2DM < 10 years and normal controls.

To analyze the changes in each retinal layer and the recovery of the ellipsoid zone (EZ) after full-thickness macular hole (FTMH) surgery. Patients who underwent surgery for FTMH were included. Spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) was performed preoperatively and postoperatively at 1, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months. A total of 32 eyes were enrolled. Ganglion cell layer, inner plexiform layer, and inner nuclear layer showed significant reductions over time after surgery (P = 0.020, P = 0.001, and P = 0.001, respectively), but were significantly thicker than those of fellow eyes at 12 months postoperatively. The average recovery duration of the external limiting membrane (ELM), outer nuclear layer (ONL), and EZ was 1.5, 2.1, and 6.1 months, respectively. Baseline best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) (P = 0.003), minimum linear diameter (MLD) (P = 0.025), recovery of EZ (P = 0.008), and IRL thickness (P < 0.001) were significant factors associated with changes in the BCVA. Additionally, axial length (P < 0.001), MLD (P = 0.020), and IRL thickness (P = 0.001) showed significant results associated with EZ recovery. The IRL gradually became thinner after FTMH surgery but was still thicker than that of the fellow eye at 12 months postoperatively. The recovery of ELM and ONL may be a prerequisite for the EZ recovery. The BCVA change was affected by baseline BCVA, MLD, recovery of EZ, and IRL thickness. Additionally, axial length, MLD, and IRL thickness were significantly associated with EZ recovery.

To investigate the risk factors for breakthrough vitreous hemorrhage (VH) after intravitreal anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (anti-VEGF) injection in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) accompanied by submacular hemorrhage (SMH). We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients diagnosed with AMD combined with SMH, and enrolled 31 patients. We formed an age- and sex-matched control group of patients with submacular hemorrhage who did not develop breakthrough VH after intravitreal injection during 6 month follow-up. The mean patient age was 70.8 ± 10.3 years in the breakthrough VH group. Of the 31 patients, 8 were diagnosed with choroidal neovascularization (CNV), 22 with polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV), and 1 with retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP). PCV was associated with a significantly higher incidence of VH (odds ratio, 35.01; p = 0.001). The size of the SMH was 22.7 ± 12.4 disc areas (DAs) in the breakthrough VH group and 5.4 ± 6.9 DAs in the control group, and was thus significantly related to the development of VH (p < 0.001). The risk of VH was significantly higher in those taking anticoagulants (p = 0.014). There was no significant difference between the types of anti-VEGF agents. When taking anticoagulant medications, a SMH of large diameter, and PCV subtype were risk factors for breakthrough VH after anti-VEGF injection.

To investigate the thickness of retinal layers and association with final visual acuity using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) in macular area of macula-off rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) patients after a successful macular re-attachment. In retrospective study, a total 24 eyes with macula-off RRD were enrolled. All patients underwent vitrectomy to repair RRD. Outer plexiform layer (OPL), outer nuclear layer (ONL), photoreceptor layer (PR), retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) thicknesses were measured by the Spectralis (Heidelberg Engineering, Heidelberg, Germany) SD-OCT with automated segmentation software. The relationship between the thicknesses of each retinal layer and postoperative logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution scale (LogMAR) visual acuity was analyzed. OPL and RPE thicknesses were not significantly different between the retinal detachment eyes and fellow eyes (P = 0.839, 0.999, respectively). The ONL and photoreceptor thickness were significantly thinner in the retinal detachment eyes (P <0.001 and 0.001, respectively). In the univariate regression analysis, preoperative best corrected visual acuity (BCVA), ONL thickness and photoreceptor thickness showed association with the postoperative BCVA (P = 0.003, <0.001 and 0.024, respectively). In final multiple linear regression model, ONL thickness was the only variable significantly associated with postoperative BCVA (P = 0.044). Segmented ONL and photoreceptor thickness of retinal detachment eyes were significantly thinner than fellow eyes. Segmental analysis of the retinal layer in macular region may provide valuable information for evaluation RRD. And ONL thickness can be used as a potential biomarker to predict visual outcome after RRD repair.

To evaluate the differences in individual segmental retinal layer thickness in adult patients with high myopia. This study compared the retinal layers of patients with high myopia (axial length of ≥26.0 mm) with those of normal controls using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. The thicknesses of the retinal layers were compared using nine Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study subfields. Choroidal thickness was also measured in the subfoveal area. We included 37 eyes with high myopia and 37 eyes of healthy subjects. The mean age was 42.95 and 47.73 years (p = 0.114), and the mean axial length was 27.28 and 24.47 mm (p < 0.001), respectively. The parafoveal areas (outer ring segment) of the ganglion cell layer and inner plexiform layer, all segmental areas except the subfoveal region of the inner nuclear layer, most segmental areas (inner superior, inner inferior, outer superior, outer temporal, and outer nasal) of outer plexiform layer, and most segmental areas (subfovea, inner temporal, inner inferior, inner nasal, outer temporal, and outer inferior) of outer nuclear layer were thinner in eyes with high myopia than in normal eyes (all p < 0.05). There were no statistically significant differences between the levels of photoreceptor layer, retinal pigment epithelium, and nerve fiber layer. The mean choroidal thickness was 153.81 ± 64.80 and 239.54 ± 44.28 μm in the high myopia and control groups, respectively, which were significantly different (p < 0.001). In high myopia without pathologic changes, there was a meaningful thinning of the retina and choroid, especially in most Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study subfield areas of the deep vascular complex, perifoveal area of the superficial vascular complex, and most areas of the outer nuclear layer in the outer retinal layer, which are associated with myopic axial elongation.