Association of outer retinal layer morphology with visual acuity in patients with retinal vein occlusion: SCORE Study Report 13.

PubMed ID: 22538214

Author(s): Domalpally A, Peng Q, Danis R, Blodi B, Scott IU, Ip M; SCORE Study Research Group. Association of outer retinal layer morphology with visual acuity in patients with retinal vein occlusion: SCORE Study Report 13. Eye (Lond). 2012 Jul;26(7):919-24. doi: 10.1038/eye.2012.59. Epub 2012 Apr 27. PMID 22538214

Journal: Eye (London, England), Volume 26, Issue 7, Jul 2012

PURPOSE To assess associations between visual acuity (VA) and the status of the photoreceptor inner segment-outer segment (IS-OS) junction in a subset of patients in the Standard Care vs COrticosteroid for REtinal Vein Occlusion (SCORE) Study.

METHODOLOGY High-resolution time domain optical coherence tomography (OCT) scans of study eyes from a single site participating in the SCORE Study were evaluated. Integrity of the IS-OS junction in the central subfield was evaluated using a three-step scale: absent, abnormal or normal. Associations of the IS-OS status with ETDRS VA letter score and center point thickness (CPT) were investigated.

RESULTS Baseline OCTs of 42 eyes were evaluated. The IS-OS junction was absent in 30 (71%) and abnormal in 12 (29%). At month 12, the IS-OS junction was absent in 18 (43%), abnormal in 12 (28%), and normal in 12 (28%) eyes. At baseline, IS-OS status was significantly associated with CPT, but not with VA. At month 12, IS-OS status was significantly associated with CPT and VA, that is, absent or abnormal IS-OS was associated with increased CPT and worse VA. Change in IS-OS status was not associated with change in CPT (P=0.8). Worsening of IS-OS status was associated with loss of VA and improvement in IS-OS status to normal was associated with gain in VA (P=0.03).

CONCLUSION In this data set with long-term follow-up of OCTs as part of the SCORE Study, there is a correlation between change in IS-OS status and VA. This supports further evaluation of outer retinal morphology in larger data sets.