[Does the Foveal Avascular Zone Change in Glaucoma?]

Background The foveal avascular zone (FAZ) - with perimeter and acircularity index (AI) and surrounding vessel density are measured in glaucomatous eyes in comparison to healthy eyes - with additional subdivision into visual field defects in different locations (central vs. peripheral). Materials and Methods The data from 128 eyes were evaluated. Firstly, glaucomatous eyes (n = 74) were compared with healthy eyes (n = 54). In addition, glaucomatous eyes with a central visual field defect (ZGD, n = 19) and eyes with peripheral visual field defect (PGD, n = 34) were differentiated. The FAZ area, its perimeter and roundness, as well as the parafoveal vessel density (VD), were calculated by means of optical coherence tomography angiography in the superficial and deep vascular plexus. Results Glaucomatous eyes have no significant change in FAZ, its perimeter or the AI compared to healthy eyes. However, dividing the glaucomatous eye by visual field defect reveals that the eyes with a central defect have a significantly larger FAZ than those with a peripheral defect and the perimeter is also significantly larger. The AI shows no significant difference depending on the localisation of visual field defects. The macular/foveal VD is significantly lower in the ZDG group. Conclusions In glaucoma, the FAZ enlarges when the visual field defect is centralised and VD decreases significantly in the area of fovea.