Analysis of optical coherens tomography angiography findings in healthy volunteers

Aim: To evaluate optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) parameters in a normal population and the associations of these parameters with ocular and systemic factors. Methods: A total of 270 healthy participants with an age range of 20-70 years were included in this prospective cross-sectional study. Superficial capillary plexus (SCP), deep capillary plexus (DCP), radial peripapillary capillary plexus (RPCP) vessel densities and foveal avascular zone (FAZ) parameters were analyzed. The relationship of OCTA parameters with each other and with age, gender, refraction, axial length (AL), central foveal thickness (CFT), and retinal nerve fiber layer thickness (RNFLT) values were investigated. Results: Compared to males, SCP, DCP, RPCP whole image vessel densities, FAZ FD, FAZ area, and outer retinal flow values were found to be statistically significantly higher (respectively p=0,002, p=0,003, p=0,001, p=0,001, p=0,001, p=0,013, p=0,035 ) and CFT and foveal vessel density values were lower in females. It was observed that the vascular density of the whole image value statistically significantly decreased in the macula and remained stable in the optic disc, over 50 years of age. FAZ parameters were found to be significantly correlated with CFT and AL, respectively when adjusted for age and refractive value (respectively p=0,003, p=0,001). Conclusion: This study provides a normative database of OCTA parameters for the Turkish population. Vascular density values were significantly higher in women than in men. While vascular density in the macular plexuses decreased with increasing age, no significant change was detected in the optic disc. Key words: optical coherence tomography angiography, vessel density, retina