AIM: To investigate peripapillary vessel density(VD)in primary open angle glaucoma(POAG)eyes and to compare them with normal control eyes, and to evaluate the diagnostic ability of peripapillary VD in POAG.

METHODS: Sixty consecutive POAG patients from March 2018 to December 2018 were enrolled in this study. Sixty age- and sex-matched healthy volunteer were also enrolled as a control group. Using RTVue-100 optical coherence tomography(OCT), the peripapillary VD of POAG eyes and normal control eyes were measured and compared. To assess the diagnostic ability of peripapillary VD in POAG, receiver operating characteristic curves(ROC)and areas under the ROC(AUC)were used.

RESULTS: The POAG eyes had a smaller peripapillary VD than the control eyes overall(P<0.001). The mean superior and inferior peripapillary VD of the POAG patients were 52.38%±5.31% and 52.58%±5.32%, respectively. The mean superior and inferior peripapillary VD in control eyes were 58.43%±4.11% and 58.36%±3.40%, respectively. Compared to the normal control subjects, the POAG eyes had a smaller superior and inferior peripapillary VD with a significant difference(P<0.001). Multivariable linear regression analysis showed that cup/disc ratio and the peripapillary VD were significantly thinner in association with the POAG diagnosis. The ROC and AUC analyses showed that the AUC value of peripapillary VD is 0.808(95% CI:0.730-0.887)with a good diagnostic value.

CONCLUSION:The peripapillary VD in POAG eyes was smaller than that of normal control eyes. Decreased peripapillary VD might therefore be associated with POAG. The peripapillary VD had a good diagnostic value.