Characteristics of Peripapillary Choroidal Cavitation Detected by Optical Coherence Tomography

To evaluate the clinical features of peripapillary choroidal cavitation (PCC) detected by optical coherence tomography (OCT).Retrospective, observational case series.One hundred twenty-two eyes from 83 patients diagnosed with PCC by OCT database review were included in this study.Stereoscopic color fundus photographs from eyes with PCC were reviewed by 2 independent ophthalmologists. They were masked to the refractive error, axial length, and OCT findings.Chart review and data analysis included gender, age, best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), refractive error, axial length, clinical appearance of the peripapillary area, and associated funduscopic abnormalities.One hundred twenty-two eyes with PCC from 83 patients were analyzed. Among the patients, 41.8% were men and 58.2% were women. The mean age was 48.2 ± 12.6 years and mean BCVA in logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution units was 0.23 ± 0.43. The mean refractive error in spherical equivalent was -9.03 ± 5.11 diopters (D) and mean axial length (AL) was 27.36 ± 2.09 mm. With respect to refractive error, 90 eyes (73.8%) were highly myopic (≥-6.00 D), 24 eyes (19.7%) had low myopia (<-6.00 D), 5 eyes (4.1%) were emmetropic (1.00 to -1.00 D), and 3 eyes (2.6%) were hyperopic (>1.00 D). Forty eyes (32.8%) with PCC had AL of less than 26.50 mm (mean, 25.11 ± 1.07 mm; range, 22.51-26.42 mm). Patients with eyes with PCC that had low myopia, were emmetropic, and were hyperopic also were significantly older than patients with highly myopic eyes (P<0.05). Stereoscopic fundus photographs demonstrated a yellow-orange, localized, well-circumscribed peripapillary lesion in 57 (46.7%) eyes with PCC. A PCC with opening was observed in 14 (26.4%) of 53 eyes with excavated myopic conus and in 5 (7.2%) of 69 eyes without excavated myopic conus (P<0.05).This study demonstrated that peripapillary choroidal cavitation is common and not exclusive to highly myopic eyes. The funduscopic finding of a yellow-orange peripapillary abnormality may not be evident in all eyes with demonstrable PCC by OCT. Although its pathogenesis and pathologic significance require further investigation, PCC may be a degenerative change in aging eyes.