AIM: The changes of optic disc and macular blood flow in POAG patients with different symptom types of traditional chinese medicine(TCM)were detected by OCTA, and the correlation between them and optic nerve damage was analyzed.

METHODS: Totally 103 eyes of 103 POAG patients were classified according to the different symptom types of TCM. The vascular density of optic disc, the vascular density of macular area, the thickness of peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer(pRNFL), and the thickness of ganglia cell complex(GCC)were collected by OCTA, and then the differences among them were analyzed. The correlation between the blood flow parameters and visual field of mean deviation(MD)was also analyzed.

RESULTS: There were significant differences in best corrected visual acuity(BCVA), intraocular pressure(IOP)and course of disease among the three groups of POAG patients(F=29.671, 13.05, 108.60; all P<0.01). The differences in macular GCC thickness, pRNFL thickness, optic disc vascular density and macular vascular density in different regions among the three groups were significant(P<0.01). Linear positive correlation were found between optic disc vascular density, macular vascular density and visual field MD(r=0.591, 0.402, all P<0.001).

CONCLUSION: OCTA can be used as an evaluation index for POAG patients with different symptom types, and it can provide a strong objective theoretical basis for the treatment of POAG.