Measurement of early changes in anterior chamber morphology after cataract extraction measured by anterior segment optical coherence tomography

Detection of occludable angle with anterior segment optical coherence tomography and Pentacam as non-contact screening methods

Purpose

To evaluate diagnostic capacity for occludable anterior chamber angle detection with anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT) and Pentacam.

Methods

Observational cross-sectional study with AS-OCT and Pentacam. AS-OCT measures: angle opening distance from Schwalbe line (SL) perpendicular (AOD-SL-Perp) and vertical to iris (AOD-SL-Vert), and iridotrabecular angle (ITA). Pentacam measures: anterior chamber depth (ACD), anterior chamber volume (ACV), and anterior chamber angle (ACA). We analysed Spearman’s correlation with gonioscopic classification. Area under receiver operating characteristic curves (AUCs) for occludable angle detection were compared. Agreement between iridocorneal values of methods was evaluated.

Results

Seventy-four left eyes of 74 patients. Correlation between temporal AS-OCT and gonioscopy: 0.83 (p < 0.0001) AOD-SL-Perp temporal, 0.82 (p < 0.0001) AOD-SL-Vert temporal, and 0.69 (p < 0.0001) ITA temporal. Correlation between AS-OCT nasal and gonioscopy: 0.74 (p < 0.0001) AOD-SL-Perp nasal, 0.74 (p < 0.0001) AOD-SL-Vert nasal, and 0.70 (p < 0.0001) ITA nasal. Correlation of Pentacam with temporal gonioscopy: 0.57 (p < 0.0001) ACD, 0.56 (p < 0.0001) ACV, and 0.63 (p < 0.0001) ACA. Correlation of Pentacam with nasal gonioscopy: 0.47 (IC 0.27–0.73, p < 0.0001) ACD, 0.49 (p < 0.0001) ACV, and 0.56 (CI 0.38–0.7, p < 0.0001) ACA. AS-OCT AUCs: AOD-SL-Perp temporal 0.89 (CI 0.80–0.95), AOD-SL-Vert 0.87 (CI 0.77–0.94), ITA temporal 0.88 (CI 0.78–0.94), AOD-SL-Perp nasal 0.83 (CI 0.72–0.91), AOD-SL-Vert nasal 0.87 (CI 0.77–0.94), and ITA nasal 0.91 (IC 0.81–0.96). Pentacam AUCs: ACD 0.76 (CI 0.64–0.85), ACV 0.75 (CI 0.63–0.84), and ACA 0.84 (CI 0.74–0.92). No statistical differences between different AUCs. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) of ACA (Pentacam) with ITA temporal (AS-OCT) 0.59 and with nasal ITA nasal (AS-OCT) 0.65.

Conclusion

Both systems show high capacity for non-contact occludable angle detection. But agreement between methods is moderate or low.

Assessment of anterior chamber angle changes after phacoemulsification with swept-source OCT

AIM

To assess the changes of anterior chamber angle in patients with shallow anterior chamber after phacoemulsification combined with intraocular lens (IOL) implantation, based on anterior segment swept-source optical coherence tomography (AS-SS-OCT) measurements.

METHODS

This was a prospective case control study; sixty eyes of sixty case were scheduled for cataract surgery with normal intraocular pressure (IOP). Based on anterior chamber depth (ACD) and gonioscopy findings, the eyes were divided into two groups: group of shallow anterior chamber and narrow angle (SAC group, 30 eyes); and group of normal anterior chamber group with wide angle (NAC group, 30 eyes). Measurements of ACD, anterior chamber volume (ACV), iris volume (IV), lens vault (LV), angle opening distance (AOD), angle recess area (ARA), trabecular iris space area (TISA), and trabecular iris angle (TIA) were conducted in each group before and 3mo after surgery.

RESULTS

There was no significant difference in age, axial length (AL), corneal curvature, corneal diameter, intraocular pressure, and IV between two groups before surgery, except for the LV (P=0.000). ACD and ACV were prominently larger in the NAC group than the SAC group 3mo after operation (3.69±0.38 vs 3.85±0.39 mm, P=0.025; 161.37±19.47 vs 178.26±20.30 mm³, P=0.002). AOD750, ARA750 in nasal and inferior quadrants, TISA750 in all quadrants except temporal, and TIA750 in all quadrants in SAC group were significantly smaller than those in NAC group after operation (all P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Cataract surgery can deepen anterior chamber and increase the width of anterior chamber angle in Chinese subjects, but the angle related parameters including AOD750, ARA750, TISA750, TIA, TISA750, and ACV in patients with shallow anterior chamber and narrow angle do not reach the normal level.

Using Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography to Assess Angle Anatomy in Patients with Neurofibromatosis Type 1

SIGNIFICANCE

Lisch nodules have been identified in more than 90% of patients 16 years or older with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1). According to our hypothesis, the presence of Lisch nodules in patients with NF1 might affect the anterior chamber angle (ACA) parameters.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to evaluate the anterior segment angle parameters using anterior segment optical coherence tomography in patients with NF1.

METHODS

A total of 42 eyes from 21 patients with NF1 (study group) and 42 eyes from 21 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals (control group) were included in this study. Angle opening distance at 500 (AOD500) and 750 μm (AOD750) anterior to the scleral spur, ACA, and iris thickness (IT) values were measured in the temporal (T) and nasal (N) quadrants using anterior segment optical coherence tomography.

RESULTS

The mean AOD500 and AOD750 values in both quadrants were significantly lower in the study group compared with the control group (T-AOD500: 548 ± 151 vs. 761 ± 288 [P < .001], T-AOD750: 705 ± 175 vs. 921 ± 334 [P < .001], N-AOD500: 599 ± 223 vs. 777 ± 292 [P = .002], and N-AOD750: 756 ± 268 vs. 948 ± 303 [P = .003], respectively). The mean ACA values in both quadrants were significantly narrower in the study group compared with the control group (T-ACA: 29.52 ± 6.36 vs. 40.83 ± 8.90 [P < .001] and N-ACA: 30.05 ± 7.11 vs. 41.29 ± 8.68 [P < .001], respectively). The IT values in both quadrants were significantly thicker compared with the control group (T-IT500: 406 ± 78 vs. 355 ± 59 [P = .001], T-IT750: 453 ± 103 vs. 362 ± 100 [P < .001], N-IT500: 416 ± 93 vs. 353 ± 54 [P < .001], and N-IT750: 437 ± 91 vs. 370 ± 95 [P = .002], respectively).

CONCLUSIONS

We have revealed lower angle opening distance values in individuals with NF1 than in the healthy ones, as well as significantly narrower ACA values and significantly thicker IT values.

Microarchitecture of Schlemm Canal Before and After Cataract Extraction Surgery

PRECIS

Schlemm canal (SC) expands after cataract extraction (CE), both in the area and in volume by 25% as was measured using enhanced-depth imaging optical coherent tomography (EDI-OCT) in patients before and 1 week after CE.

PURPOSE

This study aims to characterize the structural and volume changes on the microstructure of SC in patients before and after uneventful phacoemulsification CE by using EDI-OCT.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Forty-one serial horizontal EDI-OCT B-scans (interval between B-scans, 69 µm) were obtained in the nasal corneoscleral limbus before and 1 week after CE. The structure of aqueous channels, conjunctival blood vessels and iris anatomy in each scan were used as landmarks to select for overlapping scans taken before and following CE. The SC cross-section area was measured in each of the selected scans and SC volume was determined following a 3-dimensional reconstruction.

RESULTS

Eleven eyes (6 females and 5 males) were imaged successfully before and after CE. Mean age was 70.54±11.38 years. The mean axial length was 23.10±0.87 mm. After CE, the mean best-corrected visual acuity in logMAR improved from 0.4±0.13 to 0.2±0.13 (P=0.028). There was no significant change in the mean intraocular pressure before and after CE (15.09±1.33 to 15.0±2.16 mm Hg; P=0.39). The mean SC cross-section area increased by 25%, from 4744±376 to 5941±1048 μm (P<0.001). SC volume in the analyzed region increased by 25% from 6,641,473±585,954 to 8,317,909±1,328,809 μm (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION

CE expands SC dimensions in healthy eyes. EDI-OCT imaging of SC may prove useful in the evaluation of the SC dimensions in vivo before and after CE.

Agreement between Pentacam and optical coherence tomography in the assessment of iridocorneal angle width in a large healthy population

PURPOSE

To analyze the agreement between Pentacam and optical coherence tomography (OCT) in the assessment of trabecular-iris angle (TIA) width in a large population of normal subjects.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was performed in 989 right eyes of 989 healthy subjects. The trabecular-iris angle (TIA) was measured in the temporal and nasal quadrants using the Pentacam (Oculus, Wetzlar, Germany), a device based on Scheimpflug technology and RTVue 100 OCT (Optovue, Fremont, CA, USA). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) and Bland-Altman plots were used to evaluate agreement between these devices.

RESULTS

Mean age was 49.1±15.2 years (18-84); 61% were women and spherical error range was -14 to 8.25. TIA could be measured by OCT in 94.9% and 94.1% in the temporal and nasal quadrants, with a mean value of 35.8±13.2 degrees (2.5-78.7) and 35.7±12.9 degrees (2.2-76.8) respectively. TIA was able to be measured by Pentacam in 95.2% and 95% in the temporal and nasal quadrants and means were 35.7±7.3 degrees (11-74.2) and 36.4±8.2 degrees (14.5-64) respectively. An ICC of 0.378 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.322-0.431) and 0.589 (95% CI 0.546-0.629) for the temporal and nasal quadrants was obtained, showing moderate agreement between the devices. Bland-Altman plots revealed that, compared with OCT, Pentacam tends to overestimate measurements in narrow angles and underestimate these in open angles.

CONCLUSIONS

Agreement between OCT and Pentacam was mediocre, indicating the two devices are not interchangeable when used to measure angle width.

Morphologic changes in the anterior segment using ultrasound biomicroscopy after cataract surgery and intraocular lens implantation

PURPOSE

To evaluate morphologic changes in the anterior segment using ultrasound biomicroscopic imaging (UBM) after phacoemulsification and foldable intraocular lens implantation (IOL).

METHODS

Thirty-six patients with a mean age of 68.68 ± 8.44 years (range 51-89) who had phacoemulsification and foldable IOL implantation were included in this prospective study. Several anterior segment parameters including aqueous depth (AQD), trabecular meshwork-iris angle (TIA), ciliary body thickness (CBT), sclera thickness (ST), trabecular meshwork-ciliary process distance (T-CPD), iris-ciliary processes distance (I-CPD), and iris thickness (IT) were measured using UBM preoperatively and at postoperative month 2.

RESULTS

There was a significant increase in AQD (p&lt;0.001) and TIA (p&lt;0.001) at postoperative month 2. However, CBT, ST, T-CPD, I-CPD, and IT did not significantly change (p&gt;0.05) during the study period.

CONCLUSIONS

Removal of the crystalline lens results in change in the anterior segment parameters. Our results confirmed that UBM is a helpful option for the analysis of anterior segment structures both qualitatively and quantitatively.