Abstract
Purpose
To evaluate longitudinally volume changes in inner and outer retinal layers in early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration (AMD) compared to healthy control eyes using optical coherence tomography (OCT).
Methods
71 eyes with AMD and 31 control eyes were imaged at two time points: baseline and after 2 years. Automated OCT layer segmentation was performed using OrionTM. This software is able to measure volumes of retinal layers with distinct boundaries including Retinal Nerve Fibre Layer (RNFL), Ganglion Cell-Inner Plexiform Layer (GCIPL), Inner Nuclear Layer (INL), Outer Plexiform Layer (OPL), Outer Nuclear Layer (ONL), Photoreceptors (PR) and Retinal Pigment Epithelium–Bruch’s Membrane complex (RPE-BM). The mean retinal layer volumes and volume changes at 2 years were compared between groups.
Results
Mean GCIPL and INL volumes were lower, while PR and RPE-BM volumes were higher in AMD eyes than controls at baseline (all P < 0.05) and year 2 (all P < 0.05). In AMD eyes, RNFL and ONL volumes decreased by 0.0232 (P = 0.033) and 0.0851 (P = 0.001), respectively. In contrast, OPL and RPE-BM volumes increased in AMD eyes by 0.0391 (P = 0.000) and 0.0209 (P = 0.000) respectively. Moreover, there were significant differences in longitudinal volume change of OPL (P = 0.02), ONL (P = 0.008) and RPE-BM (P = 0.02) between AMD eyes and controls.
Conclusions
There were abnormal retinal layer volumes and volume changes in eyes with early and intermediate AMD.
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Acknowledgements
The research was supported by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Biomedical Research Centre based at Moorfields Eye Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and UCL Institute of Ophthalmology. The views expressed are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of the NHS, the NIHR or the Department of Health.
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Lamin, A., Oakley, J.D., Dubis, A.M. et al. Changes in volume of various retinal layers over time in early and intermediate age-related macular degeneration. Eye 33, 428–434 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-018-0234-9
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41433-018-0234-9
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