Imaging Suprachoroidal Layer in Exudative Age-Related Macular Degeneration.
To evaluate the prevalence of a visible suprachoroidal layer (SCL) on optical coherence tomography (OCT) in exudative age-related macular degeneration (AMD).



This retrospective study included 252 eyes of 252 patients with treatment-naive typical exudative AMD (n = 80), polypoidal choroidal vasculopathy (PCV) (n = 138) and retinal angiomatous proliferation (RAP) (n = 34). The presence of SCL was identified based on enhanced-depth imaging OCT images, and the prevalence was compared among the three disease groups. In addition, subfoveal choroidal thickness was compared between patients with and without SCL.



The SCL was noted in 56 eyes (22.2%). The prevalence was 22.5% in typical exudative AMD (18 of 80 eyes), 18.8% in PCV (26 of 138 eyes) and 35.3% in RAP (12 of 34 eyes) (p = 0.118). Patients with SCL showed significantly thinner choroid (207.5 ± 83.9 µm versus 279.7 ± 116.5 µm, p < 0.001) and were relatively older (72.1 ± 8.1 versus 70.1 ± 8.7 years, p = 0.124) than those without SCL.



The prevalence of visible SCL was 22.2% in patients with exudative AMD. Age-related changes, including choroidal thinning, may contribute to the development of a visible SCL.
a Department of Ophthalmology , Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine , Seoul , South Korea and.
Jae Hui
JH
Kim
b Department of Ophthalmology , Konyang University College of Medicine , Daejeon , South Korea.
Young Suk
YS
Chang
a Department of Ophthalmology , Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine , Seoul , South Korea and.
Jong Woo
JW
Kim
a Department of Ophthalmology , Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine , Seoul , South Korea and.
Tae Gon
TG
Lee
a Department of Ophthalmology , Kim's Eye Hospital, Konyang University College of Medicine , Seoul , South Korea and.
Young Ju
YJ
Lew
D000368:Aged; D002829:Choroid / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005451:Fluorescein Angiography / Q000379:methods*; D005654:Fundus Oculi; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008266:Macula Lutea / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence / Q000379:methods*; D057135:Wet Macular Degeneration / Q000175:diagnosis*
Age-related macular degeneration; choroidal thickness; enhanced-depth imaging; optical coherence tomography; suprachoroidal layer; suprachoroidal space