Evaluation of Macular Neurovasculature and Choroidal Blood Flow Following Inferior Oblique Myectomy Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.

Purpose: To evaluate the short-term effects of inferior oblique myectomy on the retinal neurovasculature, choroidal thickness, and choroidal vascularity index at the macula.

Methods: Patients older than 5 years who were candidates for inferior oblique muscle myectomy surgery participated in the study. Patients with any systemic or ocular disease that could affect the macular neurovasculature were not included in the study. After recording demographic data, including age and gender, and conducting a complete ophthalmic examination, macular optical coherence tomography (OCT), enhanced depth imaging OCT, and OCT angiography imaging (AngioVue software (V.2017.1.0.151; Optovue, Inc) were performed before (1 day to 1 week) and in the specific time intervals (1 week, 1 month, and 3 months) after the surgery for all participants.

Results: Eighteen patients (13 male and 5 female) who underwent inferior oblique muscle myectomy, with a mean ± standard deviation age of 24.22 ± 18.14 years, were included in this study. The baseline mean ± standard deviation of subfoveal choroidal luminal area and subfoveal total choroidal area were 0.390 ± 0.03 and 0.539 ± 0.04 mm², respectively. The changing pattern of the subfoveal choroidal vascularity index and subfoveal choroidal luminal area was statistically significant (P = .013 and .035, respectively).

Conclusions: Inferior oblique myectomy can lead to changes in choroid hemodynamics in the short term. However, these changes seem to be temporary. [J Pediatr Ophthalmol Strabismus. 2024;61(4):235-244.].