Asymmetry analysis of optical coherence tomography angiography macular perfusion density measurements in preperimetric and perimetric glaucoma

Macular retinal layer thickness asymmetry indices, particularly for the ganglion cell layer, are promising early indicators of glaucomatous damage. We evaluated macular perfusion density asymmetry (MPDA) among normal, preperimetric glaucoma (PPG), and perimetric glaucoma (PG) eyes, and we tested the performance of MPDA in differentiating between control and glaucoma eyes with or without visual field (VF) defects. In this study, 116 eyes (39 normal, 27 PPG, and 50 PG eyes) with optical coherence tomography angiography images of the macula were analysed. No significant difference was found in outer and inner MPDA between the control and PPG groups. However, outer MPDA was significantly higher in the PG group than in the PPG group (p = 0.009). Asymmetry of perfusion density and structural parameters was compared; no significant difference was found between controls and glaucoma patients. Outer MPDA had significantly higher discrimination ability between PPG and PG than did macular ganglion cell layer–inner plexiform layer thickness asymmetry (p = 0.039). In conclusion, the discriminant capability of MPDA for discriminating between glaucoma patients with and without VF defects is significantly higher than that of structural asymmetry. MPDA may be helpful in monitoring glaucoma progression in clinical practice.