In Vivo Visualization of Macrophage-Like Cells in Patients with Uveitis by Use of En Face Swept Source Optical Coherence Tomography

ABSTRACT

Aims

To detect macrophage-like cells (MLCs) in uveitis patients and describe their characteristics compared to healthy subjects by using en face SS-OCTA.

Methods

Fifteen consecutive patients with “active” uveitis and 11 healthy participants underwent 6 macular scans of 6×6mm using SS-OCTA. The 3μm en face OCT slabs on inner limiting membrane were used to visualize the MLCs.

Results

In healthy subjects there was an average of 478.2±149.7 MLCs with a density of 13.28±4.16 cells/mm². MLCs were larger in patients with “active” uveitis than in controls (891.18±69.46 µm² vs.885±77.53 µm²). Patients with “active” anterior uveitis had a significantly reduced count and density of MLCs (172±14.68 and 4.77±0.4 cell/mm²) compared to controls, while patients with posterior uveitis had a statistically increased count (546.1±132.4) and area (909.23+/-54.97 µm²) of MLCs compared to controls.

Conclusions

MLCs detected with en face SS-OCTA are increased in number and size in active posterior uveitis eyes compared to controls.

KEYWORDS:

• En face OCT
• hyalocytes
• macrophages
• microglia
• uveitis

Acknowledgments

This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.