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Title

OCT angiography of the retina detects a difference in peripapillary vessel density between dark and light adaptation.

Purpose	To evaluate the effects of light and dark exposure on vessel density in the retinal and optic nerve head (ONH) regions, as measured using optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA).
Methods	30 eyes of 30 healthy volunteers were examined using a high-speed and high-resolution spectral-domain OCT XR Avanti system with a split-spectrum amplitude de-correlation angiography algorithm. OCTA imaging was performed after dark adaptation and after exposure to light. The vessel density data of the superficial and deep retinal macular and optic nerve head region OCT-angiogram were analyzed for these two light conditions.
Results	The mean patient age was 28.22 ± 4.95 years. The vessel density in the radial peripapillary layer of ONH in the light-adapted state was significantly higher when compared with the dark-adapted state (dark-adapted state: 59 ± 6.79, light-adapted state: 60.32 ± 5.93, p = 0.0206). Comparisons of other OCT-A measurements showed no significant differences.
Conclusion	Peripapillary vessel density changes in response to light and dark exposure. OCTA allows in-vivo quantitative analysis of ONH perfusion and may provide a promising tool for analyzing neurovascular coupling in healthy subjects and in disease.
Conflict of interest	No

Authors 1

Last name	NELIS
Initials	P
Department	UKM, UZB (VUB)
City	Muenster, Brussels

Authors 2

Last name	Müller
Initials	V
Department	UKM
City	Muenster

Authors 3

Last name	Alnawaiseh
Initials	M
Department	UKM
City	Muenster

Authors 4

Last name	Mihailovic
Initials	N
Department	UKM
City	Muenster

Authors 5

Last name	Eter
Initials	N
Department	UKM
City	Muenster

Authors 6

Last name	Ten Tusscher
Initials	M
Department	UZB (VUB)
City	Brussels