Evaluation of Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness and Choroidal Flow Area in Children with Unilateral Amblyopia

Merve Şimşek; Ayşe Yeşim Oral; Müberra Akdoğan; Hüseyin Cem Şimşek

doi:10.19161/etd.1868931

TR EN

Unilateral ambliyopili çocuklarda subfoveal koroid kalınlığı ve koroidal akım alanının değerlendirilmesi

Abstract

Amaç: Bu çalışma, hipermetropik anizometropik, şaşılık ve deprivasyon ambliyopisi tanısı almış çocuklarda subfoveal koroid kalınlığı ve koriokapillaris akım alanındaki değişiklikleri değerlendirmeyi ve bu bulguları sağlam fellow gözler ile kontrol olgularından elde edilen bulgularla karşılaştırmayı amaçlamıştır. Gereç ve Yöntem: Bu prospektif çalışmaya, yaş ve cinsiyet açısından eşleştirilmiş, 12–18 yaş aralığında olan tek taraflı ambliyopisi bulunan 48 ambliyopik olgu (21 hipermetropik anizometropik, 15 şaşılık ambliyopisi ve 12 deprivasyon ambliyopisi) ile 20 sağlıklı kontrol olgusu dahil edildi. Subfoveal koroid kalınlığı ölçümleri enhanced depth imaging optik koherens tomografi (EDI-OKT) kullanılarak elde edilirken, koriokapillaris akım parametreleri optik koherens tomografi anjiyografi (OKT-A) ile değerlendirildi. Çalışma grupları arasındaki farklar Kruskal–Wallis testi kullanılarak analiz edildi ve uygun durumlarda post hoc karşılaştırmalar yapıldı. En iyi düzeltilmiş görme keskinliği ile koroidal parametreler arasındaki ilişkinin incelenmesi amacıyla korelasyon analizleri gerçekleştirildi. Bulgular: Subfoveal koroid kalınlığı ve koriokapillaris akım alanı, ambliyopik gözlerde hem karşı taraf non-ambliyopik gözlere hem de sağlıklı kontrol gözlerine kıyasla anlamlı olarak daha yüksek bulundu (p < 0,05). Buna karşılık, ambliyopisi olan hastaların sağlam diğer gözleri ile kontrol grubu arasında istatistiksel olarak anlamlı bir fark saptanmadı. Ayrıca, görme keskinliği ile subfoveal koroid kalınlığı (r = 0,622) ve koriokapillaris akım alanı (r = 0,596) arasında orta düzeyde pozitif bir korelasyon bulundu ve her iki korelasyon da istatistiksel olarak anlamlıydı (p < 0,05). Sonuç: Ambliyopik gözlerde artmış subfoveal koroid kalınlığı ve genişlemiş koriokapillaris akım alanı, koroidal yapısal ve vasküler değişikliklerin ambliyopinin patofizyolojisinde rol oynayabileceğini düşündürmektedir. Bu parametreler, ambliyopinin değerlendirilmesinde ve gelecekteki çalışmalarda tedavi yanıtının öngörülmesinde potansiyel biyobelirteçler olarak kullanılabilir.

Keywords

Evaluation of Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness and Choroidal Flow Area in Children with Unilateral Amblyopia

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to assess alterations in subfoveal choroidal thickness and choriocapillaris flow area in children diagnosed with hyperopic anisometropic, strabismic, and deprivation amblyopia, and to compare these findings with those obtained from fellow healthy eyes and age-matched control subjects. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 48 children with unilateral amblyopia and 20 healthy control subjects matched for age and sex, all aged between 12 and 18 years. Subfoveal choroidal thickness measurements were obtained using enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT), while choriocapillaris flow parameters were assessed by optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA). Differences among the study groups were analyzed using the Kruskal–Wallis test, with subsequent post hoc comparisons when applicable. Correlation analyses were performed to investigate the relationship between best-corrected visual acuity and choroidal parameters. Results: Both subfoveal choroidal thickness and choriocapillaris flow area were significantly greater in amblyopic eyes than in the contralateral non-amblyopic eyes as well as in the healthy control eyes (p < 0.05). In contrast, no statistically meaningful difference was identified between the fellow eyes of patients with amblyopia and the control group. Furthermore, visual acuity showed a moderate positive association with subfoveal choroidal thickness (r = 0.622) and choriocapillaris flow area (r = 0.596), with both correlations reaching statistical significance (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Increased subfoveal choroidal thickness and enlarged choriocapillaris flow area in amblyopic eyes suggest that choroidal structural and vascular alterations may play a role in the pathophysiology of amblyopia. These parameters may represent potential biomarkers for the evaluation of amblyopia and for predicting treatment response in future studies.

Keywords

References

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Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Surgery (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Authors

Merve Şimşek ^*
0000-0002-9335-8049
Türkiye

Ayşe Yeşim Oral
0000-0002-6165-7992
Türkiye

Müberra Akdoğan
0000-0003-4846-312X
Türkiye

Hüseyin Cem Şimşek
0000-0001-8003-745X
Türkiye

Publication Date

September 3, 2026

Submission Date

January 27, 2026

Acceptance Date

April 8, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 65 Number: 3

DOI

https://doi.org/10.19161/etd.1868931

IZ

https://izlik.org/JA87PD43NE

Cite

RIS / Bibtex

APA

Şimşek, M., Oral, A. Y., Akdoğan, M., & Şimşek, H. C. (2026). Evaluation of Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness and Choroidal Flow Area in Children with Unilateral Amblyopia. Ege Tıp Dergisi, 65(3), 403-410. https://doi.org/10.19161/etd.1868931

AMA

1.Şimşek M, Oral AY, Akdoğan M, Şimşek HC. Evaluation of Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness and Choroidal Flow Area in Children with Unilateral Amblyopia. EJM. 2026;65(3):403-410. doi:10.19161/etd.1868931

Chicago

Şimşek, Merve, Ayşe Yeşim Oral, Müberra Akdoğan, and Hüseyin Cem Şimşek. 2026. “Evaluation of Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness and Choroidal Flow Area in Children With Unilateral Amblyopia”. Ege Tıp Dergisi 65 (3): 403-10. https://doi.org/10.19161/etd.1868931.

EndNote

Şimşek M, Oral AY, Akdoğan M, Şimşek HC (September 1, 2026) Evaluation of Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness and Choroidal Flow Area in Children with Unilateral Amblyopia. Ege Tıp Dergisi 65 3 403–410.

IEEE

[1]M. Şimşek, A. Y. Oral, M. Akdoğan, and H. C. Şimşek, “Evaluation of Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness and Choroidal Flow Area in Children with Unilateral Amblyopia”, EJM, vol. 65, no. 3, pp. 403–410, Sept. 2026, doi: 10.19161/etd.1868931.

ISNAD

Şimşek, Merve - Oral, Ayşe Yeşim - Akdoğan, Müberra - Şimşek, Hüseyin Cem. “Evaluation of Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness and Choroidal Flow Area in Children With Unilateral Amblyopia”. Ege Tıp Dergisi 65/3 (September 1, 2026): 403-410. https://doi.org/10.19161/etd.1868931.

JAMA

1.Şimşek M, Oral AY, Akdoğan M, Şimşek HC. Evaluation of Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness and Choroidal Flow Area in Children with Unilateral Amblyopia. EJM. 2026;65:403–410.

MLA

Şimşek, Merve, et al. “Evaluation of Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness and Choroidal Flow Area in Children With Unilateral Amblyopia”. Ege Tıp Dergisi, vol. 65, no. 3, Sept. 2026, pp. 403-10, doi:10.19161/etd.1868931.

Vancouver

1.Merve Şimşek, Ayşe Yeşim Oral, Müberra Akdoğan, Hüseyin Cem Şimşek. Evaluation of Subfoveal Choroidal Thickness and Choroidal Flow Area in Children with Unilateral Amblyopia. EJM. 2026 Sep. 1;65(3):403-10. doi:10.19161/etd.1868931