Correlation between subfoveal choroidal thickness and optic nerve head changes using optical coherence tomography in cases of primary open-angle glaucoma

Background There has been increasing interest in investigating the role of the choroid in the pathogenesis of glaucomatous optic neuropathy. While measurement of the choroidal thickness (CT) by spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) would be an attractive add in the diagnosis and monitoring tools in glaucoma, the potential role of CT as a risk factor requires further investigation. Objective The aim of this study was to correlate between the subfoveal choroidal thickness (SFCT) and optic nerve head changes using SD-OCT in cases of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG). Patients and methods This is a cross-sectional observational case–control study. It included 82 eyes: 42 eyes of 23 POAG patients and 40 eyes of 20 normal controls. Measurement of the SFCT, retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), and ganglion cell complex (GCC) thickness was done using SD-OCT at the Investigative and Laser Unit of the Ophthalmology Department of Fayoum University Hospital and Giza Memorial Institute of Ophthalmic Research from September 2019 to February 2022. Results The SFCT was statistically significantly less the POAG patients than in normal eyes ( P <0.0001), with a cut-off value of SFCT less than or equal to 316 μm (sensitivity=95% and specificity=83%). There was a statistically insignificant difference between CT and average RNFL thickness ( r =0.040, P =0.802) and insignificant weak negative correlation between the SFCT and average GCC thickness ( r =−0.027, P =0.863). Conclusion The SFCT was significantly less in the POAG eyes than in normal eyes, with a cut-off value of SFCT less than or equal to 316 μm, with an insignificant difference between CT and average RNFL thickness and average GCC thickness in the glaucoma group indicating a negative correlation between CT and glaucoma severity.