Peripapillary choriocapillaris blood flow in glaucoma. Part 1. Anatomy and pathophysiology of choriocapillaris blood flow and its visualization using OCT angiography

The pathogenic role of choriocapillaris blood flow in the progression of glaucomatous neurodegeneration has long been discussed in the literature. However, in vivo visualization of the deep microcirculatory structures in the peripapillary zone has remained challenging for a long time. Modern diagnostic methods, such as optical coherence tomography (OCT), particularly spectral domain OCT (SD-OCT), swept-source OCT (SS-OCT), and OCT angiography, now enable the visualization of deep ocular vessels, including the choriocapillaris layer, opening new possibilities for diagnosing and monitoring the progression of glaucoma. This review provides information on the anatomy of the choroid, the choriocapillaris layer, its role in the pathogenesis of glaucoma, as well as the latest methods of studying these structures using optical coherence tomography.