Evaluating Retinal and Choroidal Changes in Sturge-Weber Syndrome through Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) Imaging: Insights and Analysis
Published 2026-03-11
Keywords
- Sturge-Weber Syndrome,
- optical coherence tomography,
- retinal changes,
- choroidal changes,
- ocular manifestations
- macular thickness,
- spectral-domain OCT,
- neurocutaneous disorder,
- cohort study,
- medical,
- community ...More
How to Cite
Copyright (c) 2026 Swami Vivekananda University Press
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
Abstract
Background: Sturge Weber Syndrome is a rare neurocutaneous condition which is characterized by ocular manifestations, neurological abnormalities and facial port wine stains. The aim of the study is to explore the changes in the eye by using Optical Coherence Tomography to examine the alterations in retina and choroid. This study was conducted during March 2023 to August 2024. Data was collected from multi-speciality clinics of Gujarat. All the subjects underwent high resolution spectral domain Optical Coherence Tomography imaging. Subjects were assessed for thickness of macula and choroid and structural abnormalities. Internal comparison was also done between affected and unaffected eyes. To evaluate statistically, tests like t tests, chi square test and corelation tests were incorporated with significance level set at p <0.05. This study found that macular thickness is significantly increased in the affected eyes with value of (290.3 ± 15.2 microns) compared to the unaffected eyes (273.7 ± 12.5 microns, p < 0.01). in areas where facial port wine stains are present, choroidal thickness was significantly reduced (168.6 ± 20.1 microns) as compared to unaffected areas (198.4 ± 18.7 microns, p < 0.05). Additionally, structural abnormalities like retinal pigment epithelial changes are seen in 65% and choroidal atrophy in 40% of the affected eyes. Significant positive corelation was found between the severity of choroidal changes and extent of facial port wine stains (r = 0.62, p < 0.01). This study reveals important differences in macular and choroidal thickness in Sturge Weber Syndrome, along with structural abnormalities. Significant corelation was also found between cutaneous and ocular manifestations. These findings underscore the connection between skin and ocular anomalies which signify the importance of comprehensive ocular examinations. These results also suggest avenues for further research to better understand the condition and to improve its clinical management.