Comparitive Evaluation of Choriodal Thickness between Hypertensives and Healthy Controls: An Oct Based Study
Keywords:
Choroidal Thickness, Hypertension, Optical Coherence Tomography, Sd-Oct, Choroid, Hypertensive Retinopathy.Abstract
Purpose: To compare choroidal thickness in patients with systemic hypertension and age-matched healthy individuals using spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT).
Methods: This prospective cross-sectional comparative study included 70 participants, comprising 35 hypertensive patients and 35 healthy controls aged 40–60 years. Choroidal thickness was measured using enhanced depth imaging SD-OCT at the subfoveal region and at 500 µm nasal and temporal to the fovea. Independent t-test was used for intergroup comparison, and correlation analysis was performed to assess association with blood pressure.
Results: Subfoveal choroidal thickness did not show a statistically significant difference between the two groups. However, nasal and temporal choroidal thickness were significantly reduced in hypertensive patients compared to controls (p < 0.05).
Conclusion: Systemic hypertension is associated with regional thinning of the choroid, predominantly in the nasal and temporal regions, while the subfoveal region remains relatively preserved. SD-OCT serves as a useful non-invasive tool for detecting hypertensive choroidal changes.
