ABNORMALITIES IN THE RETINAL CAPILLARY PLEXUSES IN COATS DISEASE IN ADULTHOOD ON OPTICAL COHERENCE TOMOGRAPHY ANGIOGRAPHY

Abstract

Purpose: To describe and quantify the abnormalities of the retinal capillary plexuses using optical coherence tomography angiography in Coats disease. Methods: Retrospective study. Eleven eyes of 11 patients with Coats disease (9 men and two women aged 32–80 years) compared with nine fellow eyes and 11 healthy control eyes. Horizontal bands of contiguous 3 × 3 mm optical coherence tomography angiograms of the superficial vascular plexus and deep capillary complex were acquired from the optic disk to 6 mm temporal to the fovea, through areas with telangiectasia visible on fluorescein angiography in 9 cases. Results: The vascular density was significantly decreased in both plexuses in eyes with Coats disease compared with normal and fellow eyes within the 6 mm temporal to the fovea (superficial vascular plexus: 21.5 vs. 29.4%, P = 0.00004 and vs. 30.3%, P = 0.00008; deep capillary complex, 16.5 vs. 23.9%, P = 0.00004 and vs. 24.7%, P = 0.00008, respectively). The fractal dimension was also significantly decreased in eyes with Coats disease (superficial vascular plexus: 1.796 vs. 1.848 P = 0.001 and vs. 1.833, P = 0.003; deep capillary complex: 1.762 vs. 1.853, P = 0.003 and vs. 1.838, P = 0.004, respectively). Conclusion: Retinal plexuses' vascular density was decreased in Coats disease, including in areas with no visible telangiectasia.